H aka Lover's Heat
by iDevalu
Summary: Mikage the fyulong had ceased to appear after the ordeal with Ayanami. Feeling completely abandoned, Teito Klein fell into a depressive state, indulging in Satan's playground as he waits for his own death. M for profanity, drug use, and sexual situations.
1. The Encounter

Lover's Heat

Frau x Teito Klein

**A/N: Not sure how well the book is known, but I'm pretty sure most teens've heard of it: CRANK. Just sitting at home one lovely Sunday afternoon, reading CRANK – when I actually needed to do my homework - and I just thought how this book could actually fit in with Teito's predicaments if he was a teen during the 21****st**** century. The second pairing could have really been anyone (Mikage, Hakuren, Frau, Miroku [ewww], Ayanami, hell, even Father Kruez) but I thought that after losing Mikage, it would make more sense that that was the reason Teito fell into a crazed depressed state and that Frau was the pair bond. Just my gibberish, avoiding updating stories that are long past due or my article for journalism or doing my Trig homework, eh. But either way, hope you enjoy.**

**On another note: the italic/bold paragraphs are like speech and thought. The bold is Teito's thoughts, not necessarily said out-loud. The italic is the speech of others to Teito. The bold tends to answer to the italics. Hope it doesn't get too confusing…**

**The last note: I really don't know anything about the other districts, so just for the sake of this Fic I get full control how the other Districts run, yeah?**

**The really last note: cause of the whole 'drug usage' some of the characters will be a bit ooc. I'm hoping not to much, or in an ooc that you guys can enjoy, but I think in correspondence with everything, it should make some sense.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own o7, CRANK. Don't even know why I have to say it, just borrowing their ideas/characters for my fanfic which will go to my non-profit organization: Starving Otakus! or SO! for short. I do own the pretty string of words down there though. -grins-**

* * *

**Chapter One**

**The Encounter**

It started with the death of his friend. His friend's sacrifice for a life that was unworthy of it. Teito Klein was a slave, and though he was _necessarily_ not one now, the mark branded on his back would forever remind him he _was _one at _some_ point in time.

How do you give up your life to save a slave? Give up your life to someone as abandoned as the Fallen Prince of Raggs?

Recession, depression. It all went down hill.

That empty void he filled with the making of a friend was stripped away all in one fell swoop; the void grew bigger, threatening to swallow him whole. It was raw and bleeding for the whole world to see.

_He's in a better place, Teito-kun._

**His place is beside me, not somewhere I can't see him.**

_His last wish was to save you._

**My last wish was to die with him.**

_You'll see him someday._

**I want to see him now.**

_He only wanted what's best for you._

**Well he sucks at figuring out what's best for me.**

_Just remember him always, keep him in your heart._

**I want him in my arms.**

_Remember that he loved you._

**If he loved me…he would've stayed with me.**

Anger, wrath. It spiraled out of control.

His friend smiled in his final moment. Mikage smiled as his life was stripped away in the most unholy of ways. How could he smile when he was abandoning Teito to the world?

It made no sense; nothing was making sense, not even the anger that was welling up inside the teen.

It was easier to be angry, though. The teen allowed it, allowed his anger to replace the loneliness. Misery was his new company, Misery was his friend. His tears were of anger, he didn't care about Mikage. How can you care about someone so damn selfish?

**He left me.**

_He died for you._

**Didn't care what would happen to me afterwards.**

_He wanted you to live for him._

**I'm not finishing what he couldn't.**

_He wanted to protect you._

**Bastard couldn't even protect himself.**

Self-destruction.

Make it all go away.

-x-x-x-

The destruction began.

All he wanted was to see his friend again. Everyone told him to live for his friend, to not throw away the life Mikage died for. But what did they know? What did anyone know? How could they possibly _understand_ the turmoil building inside him?

His friend _died_ to save _him._ As if Teito's life was more important than Mikage's. The boy had a family. A mother. A father. Siblings. Friends. Teito, on the other hand, had snippets of memories, a past he could not live up to, and a single friend. If Teito disappeared, no one would search. If he died, no one would know, better yet, no one would care.

So on one night, under the cover of a dark sky, Teito raced to the Sixth District. The corral of illegal substances and prostitution. Satan's playground.

At first it was a need for danger, a need to test this so called _life _his friend pushed down on him. Then it turned into something else.

He was allowed into a bar without needing to show I.D.

Drinks were being ushered around. Half of them weren't even paid for. In a far corner, a man indulged without shame with two women. In another, three women indulged in each other, men watched. Smoke hung above, a thick layer of smoky ceiling. Shouts and cheers layered below the smoke, gambling of all kinds took place in tables of all sizes.

Teito found an empty seat, eyes darting to every little thing that partook. In a moment's notice, a fight broke out. The men were huge; their fists giant hammers as they pounded each other. Teito stood, ready to flee, thinking that this was all just one giant mistake, as they drew closer to him unknowingly but a shot ran loud and clear in their ears.

Heads turned to the bartender, a gruffly man with more scars than skin. He held a shotgun, the end sawed off to make it shorter, in his thick, hairy hands. He puffed a cloud of smoke as he shifted the cigarette on his lips.

"Get the fuck out."

It wasn't a request, it was a demand. The men obliged and settled their fight outside. The crowd slipped back to their sin-infested ways. Everyone oblivious to the fifteen year old child in their midst. That is, but one.

The woman was tall, blond, beautiful. Her blue bobcat eyes sparkled as they caught sight of tender prey. She left the disgusting company of rough, old men to stalk new, lean meat. She stole a seat beside the innocent teen. He was young, but no fool. He new a beautiful woman when they sat next to him.

She extended a long, red fingernail and hooked it under his chin, bringing his soft face up to see it better. A seductive smile broke out on her features.

"You seem too young to be in a place like this."

A person Teito didn't know took over his motor functions, they answered for him.

"So do you."

This seemed to please her; she placed her hand back on her lap.

"Can I get a name to go with that adorable face?"

"Mikage." After all, this was Mikage's life he was living, as everyone so kindly reminded him.

"How old are you, Mikage?"

"Sixteen." One year older, not that anyone here would know, not that they would care.

"And they let you in here?"

"They let you in too."

She giggled, it actually sounded pretty.

"My name is Scarlett, with two T's."

_The Scarlet Letter_, he thought. A book he stumbled upon in the church library. It was old and he was bored. If he was not mistaken, it was about a woman who slept with a man before she got married and had a child, the very essence of prostitution back in the days.

"Nice to meet you, Scarlett."

"Let's get out of here, Mikage."

Teito frowned, but 'Mikage' followed.

-x-x-x-

"Ever smoked before?"

Teito and Scarlett were sitting beside each other on an abandoned park bench, the wail of sirens drifted in the frosty air.

Teito shook his head, might as well be honest than look like a complete moron who supposedly 'knew-what-they-were-doing'.

She smiled, Teito cringed but 'Mikage' smirked.

The woman lit up a cigarette, took a deep breath and passed the lipstick stained stick towards him. The teen took it hesitantly and after a moment of contemplation, a nagging thought began to scratch the inside of his skull.

_Teito, is this the way you're going to throw away the life I gave you?_

**Fuck you, Mikage. You're not here anymore to tell me what to do.**

At that moment, the persona Teito created seemed more real to him than anything. Teito the innocent boy of fifteen shrunk deeper inside him, Mikage the carefree rebel took the spot light.

Teito took a long drag, coughing violently as the smoke burned his lungs. Scarlett gave a small laugh; she took the death stick back.

"You'll get used to it, Mikage, I'll teach you _everything_ you ever need to know."

-x-x-x-

Thoughts of last night were hazy. Even the room he was in was unfamiliar.

_Perhaps it's because it _was_ unfamiliar._

Teito sat up, eyes scanning the vicinity. The room was pretty, painted a light pink and soft red. A large oak wardrobe, a soft violet sofa, two doors, a nightstand, bed, a woman, another nightstand and a picture on the wall. Teito's attention instantly flew to the woman beside him.

She was hardly dressed in anything and what she was dressed in covered hardly anything at all. The sheets were tangled along her ankles while his only covered below the abdomen. He was in nothing more than his pants.

The woman gave a small grunt, slowly settling into sleep once more. Teito slipped from the bed as carefully as he could, stole his clothing back, rushed to put it back on and ran out the house as if it was lit on fire.

-x-x-x-

As he traveled the streets, nothing seemed familiar. The brunet could recall everything that took place before the park incident. After that, things went hazy. She took out a bottle, he remembered that much. He drank from it, it tasted disgusting but he drunk more and more. After that, nothing.

He finally found the park after a ten minute wandering. He found the bar. He couldn't find the hawkzile he stole to get there. Looked like stealing karma had worked its magic. Teito walked back to the Seventh District.

-x-x-x-

He arrived tired and practically dead. A vein on the side of his head insisted on showing up as he walked the long stretch of road. A terrible, dry taste laced the inside of his mouth and he began to wonder if it was because of the cigarettes or that strong drink he had the night before.

As easily as he had slipped out, Teito slipped back into the church grounds undetected. The sun was a little low to be noon, so the teen guessed it was around ten o'clock. He slipped into his room through the high rise window, stumbled inside, thanked _someone_ that he remembered to lock his door, took a quick shower and brushed his teeth, drank straight from the faucet, changed into something crisp and clean and headed out to meet the day.

Odd glances were sent his way, but he returned them all with a smile. The people beamed at him in return.

"Well someone looks chipper," sarcasm dripped from the statement.

Teito turned to meet with clear ice lakes, skepticism clearly etched in their dark depths.

"What? Do you prefer me when I'm depressing and hating life?" Teito's mood took a plunge.

"No, but then at least I know you're not lying about how you're really feeling."

"What do you want, Frau?" Teito growled; the sudden urge to smoke tickled the back of his throat. When did he learn to like cigarettes?

The blond squared his shoulders, fisted hands hidden beneath priest robes. His azure eyes narrowed, obscured slightly by the bishop veil he was required to wear. With a step forward, the boy was obligated to look up at him. Teito was reminded who he was speaking to, and it wasn't a Church Bishop he was speaking with at the moment.

"Where were you this morning?"

"I took a walk." Which was true, if only partially.

"And you locked your door upon returning?"

"I got back tired, alright? God forbid I miss one morning of chores if I wanna sleep in. I'll make it up in the evening."

"Where exactly…did you walk from and to?" the question was worded carefully. Frau made sure that it could only give one answer: the truth.

"I swear! You're acting like I did something illegal!" Teito retaliated and stormed off, leaving the bishop standing there.

Teito defiantly answered Frau's question in just the way the blond expected.

* * *

**A/N: So, what do you guys (gals) think so far? I kinda like it. I want to apologize to my readers who've read my previous fanfics before this one. I will update! I swear! I'm not wasting time writing other stuff! D: well…maybe a little but I promised an update on NL and I will finish it even if it kills me and brings me down to a D- in Trig! –angry face– grrr! Ha. Rofl. Well, see you guys in the next chapter!**


	2. Illegal Substances

**A/N: "**_**Wow, Dev. New chapter so soon? Can't update like this with your other Fics, huh?**_**" …I'm sorry. -knocks herself silly- ___ Well, for those who haven't been tormented by my lack of updates to NL and Fyulong Hole, all I can say is: enjoy the next installment of Lover's Heat. (And hopefully I update frequently...[though unlikely])**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**Illegal Substances**

The following night. Teito escaped again. Taking a hawkzile was out of the question, the storage shed they were kept in was locked tight as there was one missing now. Teito couldn't help but growl at his luck. One stupid hawkzile goes missing, and they immediately act as if someone plotted to rob them all.

Luckily, one was forgotten to be stored away before they were locked.

Teito revved up the engine and sped down to Satan's Playground.

-x-x-x-

He turned off the engine just outside the bar, still on the living vehicle, unsure of whether he should go in or not. Not that he cared, because he really didn't, but the suspicious look in those azure eyes really bothered him. Frau was the one who tried the most, and a few times succeeded, in cheering Teito up when the teen felt like suicide was the only way to go. He remembered those nights when nightmares plagued his thoughts, when the film labeled: The Death of Mikage played over and over in his mind, Frau would always be there, always comforting. He stopped telling him the stupidity everyone else told him, the 'it-will-get-easier', the 'he's-in-a-better-place' and other bullshit like that. Frau would just be there, holding him from jumping over the cliff, agreeing with him even when he was bad-mouthing Mikage.

**The bastard left me. **

_I know._

**Why couldn't he take me with him?**

_I don't know._

**He's such a selfish asshole.**

_I know._

**How do I make the pain go away?**

_I don't know…_

The blond never asked for anything but gave up everything. His time and patience. His love and attention.

Teito shook his head. Frau did it out of pity, out of guilt. After all, it was _Frau's_ fault that Mikage couldn't be saved. Yeah, blame everything on Frau…

"You goin' to stay out here, precious?"

Emerald looked up to catch sight of dangerous blue. Wearing a too-tight fitting red dress, Scarlett walked around the hawkzile and slid Teito towards the back of the vehicle. She threw one long leg over the contraption and slid forward to make their knees touch, they faced each other and it took all the will-power the teen had to keep his eyes on Scarlett's.

A dark cloud passed though oddly tinted eyes, and before Teito could comprehend the situation, her well manicured hand took Teito's and slipped it along her inner thigh. Her dress was defiantly not made to be worn while riding a hawkzile.

"You left without saying goodbye yesterday. I thought you might've not liked me." Her voice was sweet, too sweet but being so new to this scene Teito could hardly retaliate, much less think as his hand was guided along the woman's anatomy.

"You don't need to come here anymore. You already found me. How bout…we go back to my place. I have something I want you to try."

Teito could hardly say no, his body constricting in ways that were foreign to him.

As she climbed off the vehicle, Teito scooted forward and felt a fire spread through him as she snuggled behind him, teasing him in ways that made his brain mush and function unstable.

"Perhaps I should wait till we're somewhere else but here…"

The only thing Teito could do was nod as he started the engine and flew down the street.

-x-x-x-

Somehow, his subconscious mind already knew where to go. He flew down the streets as if knowing where exactly Scarlett's place was, and maybe he did know, or his subconscious remembering everything from that hazy night.

Pulled up to a shady looking apartment, but everything on the block looked shady. The blonde removed herself from the hawkzile and pointed to a garage just under the steps leading to the front door.

"You can stash that in there. No one'll break in and steal it."

He did as he was told without uttering a single word. He followed Scarlett up the flight of stairs to her apartment. The scenery began to seem familiar. Teito had been in such a hurry to storm out of there, he didn't remember what the rest of the place looked like. Now he knew.

Her room as 23. Ironic: two divided by three, 666. Not necessarily that exactly, seeing that more sixes followed but still, it was something to think about.

Scarlett let herself in; Teito followed in and closed the door behind him.

He never bothered to realize how tall she was, just an inch or two shy from Frau. Her hair was a tint lighter than Frau's. His was like molten gold, hers like fluorescent lighting. Her eyes weren't as blue as Frau's either. His were frozen lakes, growing darker as they neared the pupils. Scarlett's were some sort of manufactured blue, like the kind you find in a box of crayons. You couldn't label it to a natural color, it was just a color that you were told as such.

How odd was it that they were seen together? Did the people in the Seventh District think the same way when they saw Frau and Teito walk side by side? Why did the teen keep thinking about Frau?

A light above flickered on, and much to Teito's surprise, he found himself in the bedroom already. Apparently, there were only three rooms in Scarlett's place: bedroom, bathroom, closet.

"No kitchen?"

"Haha, no Mikage, I tend to eat out."

"No living room?"

"I tend to…_entertain_ here. Enough talk, I want to show you something."

Wild bobcat led the impressionable kitten onto the bed. She relaxed him into the sheets and saddled him without asking for permission. She reached within her cleavage and extracted a tiny vial. As she shook it, something rattled inside.

"It's called Histani. Most call it H or Lover's Heat." The vial popped as she opened the lid, dumping the contents onto the palm of her hand. Three bright pink heart-shaped pills looked so innocent one could hardly imagine what they could do. [1]

Teito was about to learn first hand.

"Trust me," she cooed, placing one of the hearts on her tongue while the rest went back into the vial, "It will make you feel _incredible._"

-x-x-x-

Morning came, but the night didn't. Teito stared absently up to the ceiling. He felt great, better than great, he felt _terrific_ even if he couldn't remember the night before_._ Like nothing was wrong with the world, like nothing was _ever_ wrong with the world. He could stay here, here in bed with Scarlett. Here he was Mikage, the guy without a care in the world. Outside the bed he was Teito Klein, slave, Raggs successor, Keeper of the Eye of Mikhail and some other bullshit he might have skipped over. No, this world, this little story he had for himself here, in the Sixth District, was so much simpler than that outside it.

Scarlett was draped over him in all her naked beauty. She had a tattooed butterfly on her right shoulder blade. It was purple. It looked pretty on her. And with the drug still coursing through his system, Teito could swear he could see the butterfly flap its wings.

The body under him twitched, moved, ran a hand down his lean-muscled chest and continued further south, hitching the teen's breath before he could speak a word.

"Good morning, handsome," she purred, her stroking teasing, causing a new fire to irrupt and with the aid of Histani: like fuel to the fire. She knew what she was doing, no doubt about that. Her hands were skilled but with so much hormones pulsing through the teen's veins, he could hardly wonder how _many_ men she had done this for.

"Still high off the H, I see…" her stroking increased, giving Teito that pleasure he was craving for. "The young ones are always so cute…so innocent. I can just eat…you…up…"

She tasted his skin. From his belly button to the dip in his neck. Teito's breathing came ragged; he bucked into her skilled hand. It only caused her to chuckle.

"So impatient, so impatient. How bout another round? The more H in your system, the better the sex."

She left a whining Teito to slip another pink pill into her mouth. And ever so teasingly, she saddled his hips. Skilled tongue went into the teen's mouth as she leaned forward. Teito accepted her offering and let the little pill sizzle on his tongue as he let Scarlett do her own thing.

The sex was the last thing on his mind. His body was in one place, having god knows _what_ done to it but his mind, his mind was sky high, believing that anything in the world was possible. The rush, the excitement. His brain was _fucking_ itself. That's what it felt like, that's what made everything melt into pure ecstasy. He wanted more; he wanted to feel like this till the day he died.

They wanted him to fulfill Mikage's life, well Mikage was about to go out in style.

-x-x-x-

"Give me more." Teito appeared at Scarlett's doorstep as unscheduled as desert rain.

The blonde's eyes widened a fraction, unused to seeing the teen in the late afternoons. He always came around midnight; for two weeks now that's how it had always been. They would smoke, drink. She did most of the talking while he fondled her. Then she would give in and they would have a round of H and the best sex she's had in a long time. Morning would come, the latter would repeat. Mikage would leave still buzzed on the stuff until later that night. But now he was here, half a day early.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. She pushed Teito into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

Teito raised a brow as he watched her try to cover her cleavage the best she could. He's seen her naked countless times and she's worried about that now?

"I need more Histani."

"Oh you've got to be fucken kidding me. Dammit Mikage, I'm a little busy. Come back tonight."

She turned to leave but was caught by the wrist, for a boy smaller than her, his grip was tight.

"The guy you're currently _fucking_ can wait. Give me some pills," his voice was shallow, hoarse. There was a desperate need in that tone, in those once bright emerald eyes but now they looked dead. He physically appeared fine but his eyes couldn't lie.

"Oh god. You're turning into some fucken _addict_. I am _not_ going to be some fucken _bitch_ and feed your addiction. Get the hell out of my face, little boy. I'm done playing with you." She tore her wrist away and was ready to walk back inside her home when a blazing heat encircled her neck.

"Bitch, listen well. I'm tired of your wrinkly old self anyways. What I want is Histani, that's all I ever wanted since your stupid ass gave it to me. Now either hand over your stash or I'll sever your head." Trained in the military to control his Zaphion, Teito never thought he would be using it as a means to feed his craving but here he was.

A second later, the vial Teito had come to familiarize as heaven's forbidden fruit appeared in Scarlett's palm. He snatched it away and walked out of the hell hole, ignoring the shouts thrown at him from behind.

"Don't ever come back here, alright? Stupid five year old! You'll regret the day you ever crossed Scarlett Red!"

"Think of a better stripper name, bitch!" Teito shouted back before thundering down the stairs. As he exited the complex, his mood went from bad to worse. He turned on spot, and with a simple, agitated blast of his Zaphion, the flight of stairs collapsed into a pile of rubbish.

-x-x-x-

How could someone turn from an innocent child to a crazed addicted teen in the matter of days? Teito's life was never something heart-warming and pleasant since the beginning but how did he hit so low so fast?

From slave, to weapon, to student, to friend, to traitor, to runaway, to Ragg's Prince, to the Keeper of the Eye of Mikhail, to friendless, to hopeless, to self-destructing to addict. Why hadn't someone interfered before? Why hadn't someone noticed the cycle and tried to stop it?

But there he was, going so far as to lick the vial his pills were in just to have something take him on that high again. He had downed the pills like candy, and the product was amazing, but so many, so close together disrupted the timeline. His high wore off in a matter of hours while before it went on for at least the rest of the day.

His body was convulsing, shivering in cold sweat. How could they _sell _this stuff? Did anyone notice how fast you fell from Histani? Did they notice how _easy_ it was to slip into withdrawal? No, they knew places where they could get their next hit. They weren't fifteen and so desperate for their next happy pill. Their subconscious mind in the need for a good _fucking_ knew where to go to ease the starving monster.

Money.

It had just occurred to Teito that he could buy his own Histani, and not in the shape of stupid pink hearts. It next occurred to him that he had no money, no paying job to get money. Could he borrow? No, that raised too many questions and at the moment, no brilliant lie came to mind. He, in a sense, had always paid for the Histani with his body. Could he do that again? For another woman?

It seemed like a sensible plan. He would just need to find another woman to buy him his drug of choice. Teito grimaced. If he found another woman like Scarlett…

A dealer. It seemed so simple, why didn't he think of it before? If he became a dealer's toy, there would always be a stash somewhere for him to steal. It didn't even matter if he found another woman like Scarlett.

Teito's body shivered. Whether from anticipation or his addiction growling for attention, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to stick around to find out.

-x-x-x-

Back in the Sixth District, Teito hid his hawkzile in the outskirts of town, away from eyes that might claim his vehicle theirs and steal it again. His need for Histani was beginning to die slightly. Probably because his brain knew that he needed to appear presentable to the public if he even wanted a chance to get his medicine.

The brunet wandered the streets, making sure to avoid the previous bar he went to, hoping he never had to see Scarlett again. A faint scream whistled in the air, it didn't even faze him. The streets were grimy and rat infested; how could something as amazing as Histani come from a rundown place like this?

Teito near gave up hope of finding a dealer. All the places he passed appeared too dangerous to step into. He was a convulsing addict, not an idiot.

The teen wondered if Frau was ever like this; the priest sure as hell was not living up to his title but did he fall so far as to try illegal substances? Teito wondered when he, _himself_, got like this. Maybe it was after the first week with Scarlett. He could only remember all the drugs he took from her, not her company. There was the brownish-gold powder he smoked, she called that _Serene. _Then there was this little circular yellow pill, she called that one _Merry-go-Round_, Mary R. for short. And then one called Militisia. He remembered nothing when he was on that green pill; he decided never to get on it again. [2]

But Frau seemed to have turned around. Sure the guy smoked, and Teito knew he drank from time to time, but never to the point where it appeared that he _needed_ to. It was like the bishop just did it as a reminder of who he was before he joined the clergy. Would the brunet ever be like that too? Would he ever be able to control his raging monster inside and just take drugs because they felt good, not because he _needed_ them?

A flash of light shined in his face too abruptly, Teito staggered as his brain attempted to reboot. The purr of an engine slowly filled his auditory senses and the bright light dimmed down to allow the opening of eyes.

"What's a kid like you doing in a place like this?" a deep voice questioned from within the vehicle.

"Hardly a kid," Teito's second persona took over, "seventeen, legal." [3]

"You look like you're looking for something."

"Maybe I am," Teito walked to the car's window, which began to lower as he approached. "What's it to you?"

The man inside the car could easily live up to the title of 'Fat-King'. He had curly blond hair, eyes obscured by shades, face chubby (almost fat), and a gut that almost looked big enough to carry a newborn child. He wore a crisp mint green suit, decked out with gold necklaces and an assortment of rings. Each looking more valuable than the other as they curled around fat sausage fingers. A disturbing grin separated his thick cheeks.

"I'm looking for something too. You scratch my back, I scratch yours."

The once good church-going, god-fearing Teito Klein would have refused, would have walked away and never looked back. This new person, however, let a smirk crawl over his features, let 'Mikage' out and in a purring voice that was not his own, answered the man.

"Well then, how bout we settle this little transaction, yeah?"

The door opened, Teito/Mikage stepped inside and made himself comfortable in the back seat. The man sat across from him; Teito took notice that the driver was blocked off from the rest of the car.

"So what do you want from me?" Teito crossed his arms across his chest, his mind plotting escape in case things went sour.

"I've opened up a new club. A Host Club. All I want is for you to escort my lovely female customers. With a pretty face like yours, it's just the refresher many women crave for."

"How far do I have to take things?"

"I pay you to flirt, tease; make them come back for more. What they are willing to pay you to do outside working hours is entirely up to you."

"I need info along with money," Teito admitted, wondering how close he was to his Histani.

"Oh?" Dirty blond eyebrows rose over the shades on the other man.

"Histani. H. I need some."

"Ah, kids and their new drugs. You're just in luck, I'm friends with a manufacturer. I can get you some cheap and straight from the horses mouth."

"Then I think we just settled the deal." A grin broke through Teito's once innocent face.

The man before him extended his hand.

"Seth, Seth King but just call me Seth."

Teito stifled a laugh. This Seth really was the Fat _King_. Teito shook the man's hand.

"Mikage."

"Have a last name?" the man pulled back his hand, appearing very pleased with himself, like if he just won the lottery.

"No. I can work just as well without one."

"Then how bout we get started today?"

The car rumbled and began to advance forward; Seth pulled out a cigar and lit it. In the instant he inhaled to burn the tobacco, eyes hidden behind shades were revealed: blue.

"I think me and you are going to get along just fine, Mikage."

-x-x-x-

The fifth pounding to his door rattled Teito conscious. He had hoped they would give up and believe him to be dead or to take a hint and just leave him in peace. And for a moment, his wish was granted. The pounding stopped, everything went quite. He was still riding the Pony Express, better known as Merry-go-Round, from last night's Hosting so it made everything calmer. The women he had last night had been really into that stuff. One would think that after two weeks of Hosting, Teito would have gotten used to most of the illegal substances floating around in the Sixth District, but he was sadly mistaken. [4]

Hindrian was introduced to him during his first week of work. It was the craziest thing he ever felt. They injected the clear liquid straight into his main artery in the neck. It was ten-times better than Histani and pushed him beyond the limitations of his pleasure receptors. It even got him so aroused that he took the brunette he was with to the back room and screwed her senseless. Histani was banned from the Club after that.

…Really. Where had Teito's innocence gone?

"It's fucken time to get up, brat!"

The door imploded, causing Teito to sit up rather abruptly. Big mistake. His skull pounded with pain and pleasure, the alcohol wearing out and the drugs running strong were mixing in dangerous ways. Last night it was terrific, the crash he was getting this morning because of a hangover: bad, very, very bad.

"Get out, Frau!" Teito fell back into bed, slamming a pillow over his head to drown out the loud noises and bright light.

"I'll get out when you get up. It's three in the fucking afternoon, what the hell have you been doing all night?"

"Can you just leave me alone! Get the _fuck_ out!"

That sparked the plug which set off the bomb. Frau threw aside the covers on Teito's bed, grabbing the startled teen by the collar to lift him up off the mattress just to slam him back down. The bishop leaned all his weight into his arm, onto the boy's chest. Teito let out a muffled choke; tiny hands tried to pry off larger.

"I've been taking your…_bullshit_ for weeks now," Frau growled. Every bitter emotion that had welled up inside him since Teito's odd behavior came storming out. "I don't know what kind of stupid _shit_ you're getting into-."

"That's right! You never know _anything_!" Teito managed to shout though it lost impact since his voice sounded so strained. Everything was always about Frau; it was how _he_ was taking it, how _he_ was doing this and that for Teito. The teen was _sick _of it. Sick and tired of being put last because 'he should be over Mikage by now'. Well he wasn't. He damn well fucking wasn't! "When Mikage died, you didn't know why. When I felt like dying, you didn't know what to do. When I told you to make the pain go away, you fucking didn't know how!" Tears prickled his blood-shot eyes but refused to let them out. "So who's been giving me bullshit for weeks? If I found a way to make the pain go away then let me! Let me get rid of the pain!"

Teito huffed as his unplanned tears streaked down his face. Silence lingered for a moment, Frau's glacier eyes as unreadable as ever.

"…have you been taking drugs?" Frau's voice was softer than either expected; emotion finally thawed his twin pieces of ice as he continued to stare down at Teito. A pain he didn't understand threatened to show past his eyes and flow into the rest of his face but the defiant look on Teito's face made anger slowly rise.

The answer to his question was in those muddy disobedient eyes, the answer he had refused to believe for so long…

Frau forced his hand open, his fingered tensed at being held so tightly for so long. Blood slowly flowed back in, giving him feeling back in his fingers. Teito watched in mild confusion as Frau turned his back to him. And so quick, before Teito could understand, the nightstand beside his bed was pulled apart. All its contents were dumped onto the floor, a ravage fury masked Frau's disappointment.

Teito continued to watch in stunned horror was Frau kicked around his belongings, dumping and throwing things around like a ravage dog in search of an infested rat. It finally occurred to the teen to stop this obvious violation of his property.

"What the hell are you doing!"

"Where the fuck are you hiding it?" Frau threw aside a backpack of Teito's things, finding nothing of importance in it.

"Hiding what, you stupid idiot?" Teito threw himself on Frau, taking the larger male into an awkward choke-hold which did nothing more than annoy an already pissed off bishop.

As if ridding himself of a bothersome fly, Frau reached behind him, forced the teen to let go, and threw the smaller male onto the bed. The mattress bounced violently at the sudden impact, flipping over and spilling Teito onto the floor. Soon the heavy padded sleeping box fell on top of him.

Blazing azure flew to the wall behind the bed frame. His eyes followed the wall down until he reached the wooden flooring. A board was loose. Frau stalked over to the wooden frame, threw it aside so easily; it crashed into the already busted door. Much to his luck, no one had bothered to come and identify the cursing and crashing.

Falling to his knees, Frau stripped the flooring off in the harshest way possible. The wood snapped, splintered, as he continued to dig like a rampant animal. There it was. A large bag with illegal contents, a razor blade, a mirror and a lighter. He smashed the mirror against the wall to a side of him. He snapped the lighter in two, the flammable liquid dripped all over his hands. He took the razor blade and rammed the sharp edge into the wall before him. Next came the bag; he ripped it open, inspected the contents and grimaced. Teito emerged from underneath the mattress.

Frau was standing now, glaring blue towards startled muddy green. Teito reached out, anguish clear on his face. Without a second look back, Frau proceeded to a door near a corner of the room and disappeared inside.

Teito raced towards Frau, ripping the bottom of his feet on the broken glass that wasn't there a few moments ago. He lost his footing upon feeling the sharp pain and fell to his knees, causing even more cuts and abrasions to appear. As he looked up, he realized he fell just in front of the bathroom door. Frau held his life over the toilet. The bag dripped all its contents into the bowl with an audible _plunk, plunk, sshhhhh. Whoosh. Gurgle, gurgle. Hisssss…_

Tears flowed freely as the teen watched in utter stupor.

"What…what did you fucking do?"

"It's time for a fucking intervention."

* * *

[1] This stuff isn't real. Or at least, I don't think it is. From what I'm certain of, it came from outta mah brain :P But there _are_ pills out there in the shape of little hearts. Don't know what kind, don't want to _say_ what kind, don't even want to _research_ what kind. I'm a 'Just Say No' child. :)

[2] Same as number one up there. I'm almost _positive_ that none of that stuff is real. Just to clarify, the drugs mentioned in that paragraph are basically the only ones found in o7-Ghost land, and Hindrian. Well, in my Fic anyways. Basic alcohol: vodka, beer, tequila, whiskey, etc. can be found here too, as well as tabbaki (tobacco). There is no marijuana, meth, ecstasy, etc. etc.

[3] I find these little notes very amusing. –Ahem– In this fic, seventeen is legal as twenty-one is legal in the good ol' U.S. of A.

[4] Er. Yeah, timeline is confusing. To simplify: 2 weeks with Scarlett, 2 weeks at Host Club. 4 weeks since Teito started doing drugs. The End :)

**A/N: Well, I had a lot of footnotes for this Fic…it'll get easier as we progress since most of it was pushed out of the way in this chapter. Well, I still have one more note to say. I'm sure many of you are wondering: 'what does that drug do?' Everything will be explained in the next chapter, courtesy of my favorite o7 Character 33 Until next time, y'all.**


	3. Rehabilitation Begins

Chapter Three

Rehabilitation Begins

**A/N: I updated! Yay! –Ahem- Well, I humbly welcome you to the third installment of my little drama series, H, or sometimes I call it Lover's Heat :) The title is obvious now, huh? **_**Histani**_**. I took it from the Greek word Histanai, which means ecstasy. Not very creative, but there yah go~ It all works out. And Hindrian? That's an Old English word. Means hinder. There's a reason for that too, which I will explain laterrrr. (roll the r's, like a Mexican!)**

**Another Note: (Ha! Authors Note can also be Another Note…yeah, I have a very awkward sense of humor. I'm the type that gets distracted by shiny objects. But you obviously don't care about that and I should just say whatever I was going to say…sorry, I tend to rant.) I wanna say thank you to the two people who reviewed my story, you guys (gals, whatever) made my day ;3 I was about to give up on this unless I received at least one review. Cause why update online if no one reads it, right? I can come up with the story line in my head and be content with that but if other people like it (and review) then it makes me want to actually write it out to give you readers an idea of what goes on in mah brain :D though…it tends to get a bit confusing in there. Okay, I'll shut up now. I'm sorry, I do talk (write) a lot…you can actually skip the author's notes if you want to (in the future); most of the important info (or somewhat important) will be in footnotes…yeah, I'll shut up (stop writing in my author's notes) now.**

* * *

Teito stared stupidly at the porcelain toilet, unsure of what just happened truly happened. Frau had dumped his life into the infernal contraption and flushed it. Maybe this was all a nightmare, maybe he would wake up and everything would be alright. Maybe he was still on Serene, that stuff always made him dream the weirdest things. Maybe…maybe… "if only".

An animal instinct kicked in; Teito threw himself to the toilet, plunging his hand into its tiny black hole, trying against all odds to retrieve his _life._

"…what are you doing?"

Tears flowed freely down Teito's cheeks, his already sore eyes burning with the heat of salt water. His body began to shiver all too greatly; he broke out in cold sweat; his brain was on a single function: retrieve the drugs.

"You fucking look pathetic."

Frau reached down and took up the crazed teen, hooking him around the waist and letting him dangle there at his side as Frau proceeded out of Teito's bedroom. A few odd glances were sent their way, but Frau continued forward as if nothing was wrong with the picture. Thankfully, Teito was still in a dazed shock and just lay limp in his arm. The teen thrashing about would have made a bigger scene. Or did the church people expect the teen to act as such? That seeing him relatively calm, especially in the position he was in, was stranger? The blond mentally shrugged, too late for that. Besides, a few had seen the room where they had just come out of, the destroyed room was bound to raise eyebrows.

Upon arriving to his room, Frau threw the teen inside, not even bothering to be polite about it. Teito crashed to the ground with an audible _thump_, taking with him a stack of bibles that were piled near the foot of the priest's bed. At that, Frau winced but the thought of apologizing quickly fled as the teen immediately sat up only to spout curses. Something about ruining the teens life, that the blond couldn't keep his nose out of things that did not concern him, blah, blah, _blah_; Frau half-heartedly paid attention.

"Stop being a whiny little prick. I'll be back." Frau jammed the lock and slammed the door closed. Only breaking down the door can open it now.

Immediately, the sound of crashing, tearing and just plain destruction could be heard on the other side of the door. Frau stared blankly at the wooden plank. A soft sigh escaped him and soon he collapsed to the ground. The blond turned his back to the wooden door and leaned his frame against it. He could feel the small vibrations of the beating the door was taking on the other side.

With his legs stretched out in front of him, Frau pulled out his packet of cigarettes from within a hidden pocket in his bishop's robe. He slipped one slender stick from its packaging in between his lips and stowed the rest away. As he patted himself down in search of a lighter but could not feel the small rectangular device, annoyance crashed over him in large waves. The teen was calling him things the blond would much rather not repeat. When did the brat get such a filthy mouth?

"Frau?"

The blond looked up from his position on the ground to find kind lilac and irritated obscured chocolate eyes looking down to him. He forced a grin on his face.

"Hey guys, what brings you around here?"

The mauve haired priest returned his smile but Castor refrained from such a display.

"We were sent here to fetch you. Archbishop Jio-sama needs everyone in the Grand Hall to aid in the baptisms," Castor replied, pushing up his glasses as they threatened to fall off the bridge of his nose.

"Hmm. About that…I'm going to have to take a rain check," Frau made an effort to sound nonchalant as the glare in Castor's eyes somewhat bothered him. "And I'm also gonna need two weeks vacation. Hey, do either of you have a lighter?"

Labrador knelt down immediately and presented Frau with a small match-lit flame. The blond leaned forward and lit his cigarette, purposefully avoiding the doll-maker's stare. Really, Castor acted as if Frau was going to join the military.

"What? Frau! We are completely shorthanded! Most of the bishops are out in the Third District because of some stupid festival."

"Actually, it's a fasting. Di'Léaseur, I do believe it is called. It's a fasting in remembrance of everyone lost to the Great Famine," Labrador added as he stowed away his small box of matches, oblivious to the anger radiating off his fellow bishop. [1]

"Labrador, you are not helping."

"Castor-san, I am merely correcting your inaccurate information. Di'Léaseur is a very important time for the citizens of District Three."

The innocent face of the gardener kept Castor from pushing the matter, instead he turned his anger to Frau, who was currently ignoring them both and smoking. The doll-maker bent down and snatched the smoking stick away.

"No smoking where the orphans can see you," Castor crushed the item in his fisted hand. "Now, why on Earth would Jio-sama give you two weeks vacation? You have skipped mass five times in the past two weeks already. And the excuse you've given for those isn't very appropriate."

"I had stuff to do," Frau shrugged as he closed his eyes and settled back onto the door. The sounds behind it had grown oddly silent.

"Stuff to do? Frau, though the thought still has not yet registered, you are a bishop. You have responsibilities within the Church. One of which is aiding in religious ceremonies. Second of which is setting an example to the people within this church. Skipping mass and acting like a childish delinquent are not proper examples of a servant of God."

"What about aiding those in need?"

As if to further explain Frau's hanging question, the door behind him began to rattle visibly. The crashing, the shouting was more audible though the words themselves were still slurred unless one pressed their ear right against the door.

"What in God's name do you have in there Frau?"

The blond took notice that Labrador did not look startled at all, unlike Castor.

"Um…a broken kitten," he settled with while still avoiding either bishops' stare.

"More like a ravage lion," Castor muttered. "Whoever is behind that door…is who you are trying to help?"

Frau nodded in reply.

"Is it-?"

"Yep."

"Why didn't you-?"

"Because I didn't want you to think I cared, after that little speech you gave me about getting close to the brat."

The three priests remained silent for a moment, the noises beyond the wooden door still persistent.

"You'll tell me what is going on, won't you?"

Azure willed themselves up and caught onto chocolate hues. A smirk crawled along Frau's features.

"Not like I can keep a secret from you anymore. Now, if you'll excuse me, I got stuff to do." Frau gave a small grunt as he forced himself to stand, absentmindedly dusting himself off when there was no need to.

Castor nodded and proceeded down the hall from which he came, having no need to excuse himself. Labrador soon caught up with the doll-maker.

"It's so nice to see that you two can still tell each other your secrets even when you argue like an old married couple," Labrador teased though honestly believed his statement to be true.

Castor suppressed the urge to smack Labrador upside the head as he was accustomed to do to Frau. If he hit Labrador, it seemed like the equivalent of kicking a puppy. Now what kind of cold-hearted bastard kicked puppies?

"We were closer when we were both taking the test to enter the clergy and were forced to be teammates," Castor admitted with a sad smile.

Labrador tilted his head to one side as they continued to walk. In moments like these, he wished he could also see into people's pasts. The memories Castor and Frau shared before Labrador arrived were something that always interested the gardener but neither would speak more of it than a passing thought. It always made him feel left out in a way, as if he was a rude guest forcing his way into their company. It was troubling. [2]

As if sensing Labrador's distress, Castor showed an encouraging smile.

"A story for another time, Labrador, I promise."

x-x-x

Frau crashed the door inward. That action was simple to do. The part of him actually entering the room was something entirely different. The slab of wood (for it no longer could be called a door) fell onto a pile of torn furniture and books that seemed to be a pathetic example of a barricade. His room was in shambles. Litter scattered the entire floor. His bed was now a mattress on the floor, even the mattress could no longer be called as such, the sheets, the stuffing itself were nothing but shreds of fabric and piles of stuffing. His wardrobe ceased to exist, nothing but splinters and clothing thrown about the place. His books, papers were no longer semi-organized but ripped into confetti; oddly enough, his casket was unharmed.

As the blond stepped into the room, it smelled oddly of oak and ink. He surveyed the battle grounds, except his casket, nothing survived Hurricane Teito.

"Speaking of the brat, where is he?" There was hardly anyplace the teen could hide, what with everything being nothing more than splinters. He continued into the room, his boots crunching down on a combination of glass and wood. With no sign of the teen, and no gaping holes were the teen could have escaped from, Frau found a suitcase from within a heap that used to be his old desk and went to collecting any clothing he could find to fill his bag.

A violent coughing gave away the teen's position, and after locating all he needed, Frau threw his bag into the hallway before proceeding to the location of the coughing: his casket. As he pushed it open, guilt finally reared its ugly head.

Teito was curled into a tight ball at the head of the coffin, blood flowing from in between his fingers as the teen did his best to keep the red liquid from flowing freely from his mouth. Frau mentally sighed and moved to remove the teen from the coffin, Teito did not object, did not stir even. The only thought that crossed the bishop's mind at that moment of transfer from the casket to his sorry excuse of a bed was that Teito was very light weight, _very_ light weight.

Frau grabbed a piece of his destroyed bed lining and began wiping away any blood he could find on the teen. He began at the feet, where he had to remove splinters and pieces of glass, then moved to any exposed area from his ripped pants (which consisted no more than his knees), completely skipped all the way to the teen's shoulders, elbows, arms, neck, and after talking Teito into removing his hands, the blond cleaned the black blood smeared on the teen's mouth. And as he began to clean each of Teito's fingers, the teen finally spoke, his voice dead and rasp.

"I hate you."

The words cut deep, not that Frau would openly admit.

"Likewise," Frau answered as soon as the task of cleaning the brunet was complete, but he would soon believe himself to be a two-headed duck than to believe the lie he told the boy.

Without asking for permission, Frau threw the teen onto his shoulder and proceeded out of his room. Now with two rooms in shambles, Frau wondered what kind of rumors would be spread because of it. As he made his way back into Teito's room, the blond dropped the brunet down a bit more gently onto the overturned mattress and went about scavenging for clothes.

"What are you doing?" Teito croaked, though wished his voice held a bit more malice. He was feeling like shit and he wanted Frau to know that he was the cause of it.

"_We_ are taking a little trip," Frau answered, throwing Teito one of his mourning garbs. "A spiritual journey, if you want to give it a label." The blond continued his search through Teito's belongings for adequate supplies for the two week trip they were about to partake.

"And why would I want to go anywhere with you?" Teito's vision blurred and soon Frau became nothing more than a blob of blue; he must have taken off his bishop's robe.

"Because you hate me," Frau replied absentmindedly.

"Now how does that make sense?" Teito retorted in frustration as he fell back onto his mattress, the palm of his hand placed firmly on his forehead. Something was defiantly trying to scratch its way out of his skull.

"It doesn't, but it doesn't have to. All I expect is your complete cooperation."

"I'd rather throw myself at the mercy of Ayanami than cooperate with you."

"I expected as much."

To that, Teito could not reply to. There was unmistakable sorrow in the bishop's voice. It took all the willpower the teen had to believe the lies he was telling himself: _'The pain in my throat is because of all the coughing. The pain in my chest is because of all the fluid filling inside them."_

_Yeah, right._

x-x-x

After a two day trip, in which Teito had to be sedated with a nerve pinch to the nape, for he took it upon himself to make the trip unbearable and down right dangerous (what with purposefully trying to jump off the moving hawkzile), bishop and slave arrived in the snow-blanketed Second District _somewhat_ unharmed.

Teito was still unconscious when Frau entered a rather shabby looking Motel with the teen thrown over his shoulder. The man behind the counter passed an odd looking at the two, but with Frau acting as if he did this everyday, the man had no choice but to play it off and ignore the 'pedophile' profile Frau was currently giving off.

"Um, w-what can I do for you?"

Frau suppressed the urge to be a complete sarcastic asshole, instead, he answered rather politely. "I'd like a room, please." _'No shit,'_ he answered himself, _'why on earth would I come to a _Motel_ for if it wasn't for a room?'_

That didn't mean he couldn't be a sarcastic asshole in his head.

The man nodded, quickly picking up the irritated body language Frau was displaying. "Um…a room for…two?" He asked uncertainly, his gaze flicking to Teito's rear, which was the only thing he could see at the moment.

"How much is that going to turn out?"

"How long are you planning on staying?"

"Two weeks."

The exchange was brief and quick to the point; this man was defiantly catching on to Frau's irritation.

"Two weeks…that would come around 140." [3]

"Got anything cheaper?"

"One bed, one bath, near the back of the building, next to the furnace so there's always noise. No windows, the heater tends to break often, isn't worth fixing anymore. I'll give it to you for 35."

"Deal, I'll take it. Here's the cash upfront, and don't bother sending a maid until after we leave."

Frau dropped the cash on the counter, took the key from the Manager and made his way to room 13. It honestly was all the way in the back.

* * *

[1] Pretty sure Di'Léaseur doesn't exist :B I'm pretty sure I made up the name ._. But if I'm wrong, I apologize.

[2] Er. Don't know when Labrador came to be the third musketeer but in my fic he came after Frau and Castor became bishops.

[3] I don't knows what their monies is called ; - ;

**A/N: Yeah, I lied about the drugs being explained in this chapter :P I do that a lot…lie. –sighs- I don't do it on purpose, but when you plan something, ideas tend to be added/subtracted at the last minute. Oh well. I'll try not to do it often :) You know a funny name that I just can't stop thinking about and just have to say **_**all**_** the time? Spock (from Star Trek). SPOCK! –rofl- Barely saw the 2009 remake…yeah, I'm a bit slow at movies and such. But it was…**_**awesome!**_** Makes me want to be a Star Trek nerd :D Screw Star Wars, Dev is a Star Trek fan! (Random thought, I know.) Well, I won't beg you guys for reviews (because I don't want to be one of **_**those**_** people), but just let me know if you guys out there in cyberspace still want updates, cause I don't want to update if no one wants to read it :)**


	4. Day 1: Misery Loves Its Company

**A/N: It's me again! :D Hi~~ Er. Yeah, I'm all talked (?) out at the moment, so I'll just let you guys get to reading, yeah?**

**Chapter Four**

**Day 1: Misery Loves its Company

* * *

**

One room, one bathroom, one bed, two suitcases, two people, both males, no privacy.

Baggage in one hand and human baggage draped over the opposite shoulder, Frau began considering that this idea might not have been one of his most brilliant ones. The room was small, very much so. It fitted one twin size bed and a worn-out recliner. The bed was pushed into the farthest corner and it really only took one stride for him to reach it. The armchair was crowded in the corner opposite of the bed; they were practically touching. A doorway to his right led to the bathroom with no door to allow privacy. No windows of any kind allowed light in; a tall lamp beside the recliner immediately turned on once the door had been opened, but even then, the dying bulb hardly gave any light to the room. It was dark, damp, freezing, and yet it smelled oddly clean, or at least had no foul odor.

The two bags in his right hand fell to the floor with an audible _thump_. Fatigue washed over him in one giant wave. As azure eyes continued to stare at the small bed, only one thought remained constant in Frau's mind: he would not be getting a good night's rest throughout the upcoming two weeks. His alcohol, his cigarettes; that didn't matter as much as his need to fall dead asleep, no thinking, no worries, nothing, if only for a few hours in his day. It was definitely going to be a _long_ 'spiritual journey'.

With a sigh, Frau placed Teito on the bed, going about the task as careful as possible as to not wake the teen. The bishop still had a few things he needed to do before the "rehabilitation" began. He released a sigh of relief as Teito refrained from stirring. With the motel key in one hand, and his last packet of cigarettes (well, for the two weeks, anyway) in the other, Frau left the room to indulge one last time before throwing himself (sober, no less) into what will only be hell on earth for both bishop and slave.

x-x-x

Frau smelled like tobacco and beer. And frankly, he didn't care. It was late, and he knew it. He had only intended on leaving for an hour at most. Instead about five went by, or six, maybe eight, he wasn't sure. It was difficult to remember when all you wanted to do was destroy all your brain cells with alcohol to keep yourself from ever thinking a coherent thought again.

Looking at the situation logically, the brat must have run for the hills the moment he woke up in a motel room, alone. The bishop let out a defeated sigh. During his time in the snow-ridden park near the motel, the blond had planned out the next two weeks in his head: the lectures, arguments and remedies Teito would need in order to even _begin_ to subdue his drug fixation. Now all that seemed to blow up in the bishop's face when even _he_ couldn't control his own fixations.

If, by some miracle Teito was still in the motel room, Frau would need to rethink his strategy a bit. The last thing he needed was to be called a hypocrite. If Teito labeled him that, there was little chance a break-through could be made on the boy. There were reasons why it was okay for Frau to do stupid things like drinking and smoking, but for Teito – especially the bad habits he picked up in the Sixth District – it was far from being 'okay'.

First plan (if Teito was still in the room) was for Frau to take a quick shower. Steam away the smell clinging onto him. Maybe first he would brush his teeth; the taste in his mouth was foul. Teeth first, shower after, and then it would be Teito's turn in the shower. God knows the boy needed it; he was beginning to sweat out the drugs, and that did not smell pleasant. After that…well, Plan A was still a work-in-progress.

Now, if Teito was not there, Frau would make damn well use of the room. After all, he paid thirty-five bucks for it. Round up all his sinful pleasures, indulge, and forget ever belonging to the clergy in the Seventh District, ever becoming Zehel of the 7-Ghosts, being the only one who could wield Verloren's Scythe; forget ever knowing a man named Castor, Labrador, etcetera and, most definitely, forget ever knowing a young boy named Teito Klein. That boy caused him nothing but trouble. And sometimes, it never seemed worth, even if the former slave would reward him with rare smiles.

Frau let out an elongated sigh. What kind of _bullshit_ was he making himself believe? Of course those smiles were worth it. Just the fact that he was the sole person at the receiving end of those smiles, no one else, actually made him feel important, special. Frau gave a small bark-laugh. _HA!_

The blond was pushing mid-twenties and he honestly believed a fifteen year old kid could make him think he was special? Really, maybe what Castor told him did have some sort of meaning, maybe Frau was childish.

It seemed a bit idiotic to be reading into his life when the whole reason for this trip was to help another's. So as the blond opened the door to room 13, he made it his priority to aid Teito, not himself, Teito, whether the brat wanted it or not.

The weak light in the corner flickered on and shown upon Teito's still form. Exactly how Frau had left him. That worried the bishop a bit. Two days out cold, was the brat even breathing?

Frau closed the door behind him just as a strong gush of wind forced itself through the door, bringing with it clumps of snow. They littered the floor and slowly melted into the carpet. The blond made a note not to walk around barefoot. As he stowed away the key into a pocket on his slacks, Frau decided to play with the heater, hoping that the piece of contraption would work.

A rumbling soon began from somewhere in the bathroom region, and even Frau, who was constantly cold, could feel the warm air seep from its designated vents along the floor. Now he proceeded to check on the teen.

Teito looked sickly under the yellow-tinted light and almost matched the brownish-grey covers he was sleeping on. Dark circles stained the bottom of his eyes, his cheeks were hollowed in; even his hair had lost its soft chocolate color. It looked dull and dead. Teito was not supposed to look this way. Frau continually reached into his memory of a time before the death of Mikage; when Teito still had hope, hope in a lot of things. Hope in his future, hope in the people around him, hope that he could change. Now, now that hope was lost. What replaced it was something bitter.

When did Frau go wrong? He did all he could for Teito and yet…the boy still strayed. Maybe…he didn't do enough.

Gloved fingers trailed down Teito's ashen cheek. The teen seemed so breakable, like a wilting flower or a dying puppy; all you could do for it now was to end its misery.

Willing himself to take in a deep breath, Frau managed to find Teito's pulse on the side of his neck. The boy was still alive, though Frau did not like how long it took for his heart to beat. Finding that he could do nothing more than to let Teito continue to fight his drug addiction unconsciously, Frau made his way towards the recliner, moving it so it stationed in front of the door. After this point, he had no intention of leaving until the two weeks were up.

Taking a last look towards the brunet and seeing nothing wrong(er) with the picture, Frau took up his bag and proceeded to the bathroom.

x-x-x

Thirty minutes, maybe? Or was he pushing an hour?

Frau didn't care how long he had stayed in the shower as long as the steaming water continued to pour. This was his only relief now to the torture he was putting himself in. Back when this idea of his still seemed brilliant, he imagined most of his stress would come from Teito constantly yelling at him for ruining his life. Frau never stopped to realize the stress he would put _himself_ in. Constantly worrying about the brat, his nicotine monster scratching the inside of his skull for a fix, an even bigger, uglier monster inside him growling for death-like slumber. It went beyond stupidity that he didn't realize this sooner.

A loud crash brought him back from his self-pitying thoughts and soon, above the shower of steaming water, the sound of gagging and vomiting filled the tiny bathroom.

Frau pushed aside the shower curtain enough to stick his head out. There he saw a mop of dead brown hair above the toilet's rim. Reluctantly, the bishop turned the water off, grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his waist and stepped onto the _extremely_ cold tile floor.

"Hey kid, still alive?"

Teito continued to empty what little he had in his stomach, not even hearing the bishop. As the nausea ceased, Teito flushed the toilet, still uncertain if he should stand. Moving felt like the stupidest thing to do, and the cool tile floors did wonders on his over-heated body. To even begin to describe the feelings rushing through his nervous system would take an eternity, and definitely a decent thesaurus; something his brain had no wish for, so in simple terms, he felt like he was dying, only worse.

"Hey."

A warm hand on his shoulder caused the teen to flinch violently. Somehow, he found himself with his back against the wall, the toilet beside him rather than in front.

At first, the brunet thought himself hallucinating. Why on _earth_ would Frau be doing in his room, correction, his _bathroom_, dripping wet and in nothing more than towel? He was comfortable around the man, but not to this point, only when he felt like jumping from the church bell tower.

"Wha-?"

"Oh god, you don't even know where you are." Frau turned away from the teen, took his bag from the bathroom floor and proceeded into the room. It peeved him slightly to know that Teito's mind was melting to mush so quickly that simple things such as _memory_ were escaping him.

All modesty gone at this point due to irritation, Frau began to change, not bothering whether the brat saw him or not. Boxers went on first, followed by sleeping bottoms, his favorite ripped black shirt and lastly his trademark gloves.

"Did you really have to change in front of me?"

The blond turned towards the bathroom doorway, catching sight of Teito sitting on the ground, his back resting against the doorframe. With an arm over his stomach and another over his eyes, Frau guessed the brat was going to fall into another puking episode, and soon.

"You didn't have to look," he answered back. Frau took back up his towel and went to drying his hair, scrubbing it violently with the soft cloth.

After his stomach finally settled, Teito dropped the arm across his eyes, properly taking in the room this time. Even if he was being punished, he knew the Nuns would never allow anyone to place him in such a depressing looking room. His attention fled back to the bishop, and snippets of memories began to settle into their proper place.

"Is this supposed to be the place for my…" Teito would have quoted the air but the arm across his stomach felt oddly comforting and he felt that if he removed it, the nausea would come back, "_spiritual journey_?"

"How're you feelin'?" Frau threw the towel aside and sat himself on the bed, arms on his knees as he kept his sight on the brunet. Since Teito wasn't yelling, the blond thought it would be polite to return the favor.

Teito shrugged, turning his sights away from the bishop. Though he still felt like driving a knife into his stomach, there was this _odd_ feeling running through him. He still felt the pain. The scratching, pounding in his skull, the burning, constricting feel in his chest, the burning in his stomach, the bugs crawling all over his skin but it was also as if all that he was feeling wasn't real, that it was all imaginary.

Frau sighed as he dropped his forehead into his open palm. The teen looked so…dead. There was no other word for it. The juvenile innocence was gone; he looked like an old man ready to pass over.

"Do you know why you're here?" Frau asked a different question, hoping against all that it would spark _something_ in those lifeless eyes.

"Cause you hate me?"

_Really, it's like the brat's on auto-mode_. Frau looked up irritated from behind his hand, keeping it over his mouth to hide the frown he was trying to suppress.

"No, it's because you have a problem."

"We all have problems."

"Your problem involves with you killing yourself."

"Well _you_ won't kill me, _I_ can't do it. Might as well let something pleasant do the job."

"Are you fucking serious?" Frau snapped, feeling disgusted at the calm tone Teito was using.

That did it. Teito turned to him, rage clear on his face.

"Well, _excuse me!_ I'm sorry I no longer live up to your pathetic little 'bishops' expectations. I don't see why you can't just leave me the _fuck_ alone and mind your _own damn business_!"

"You live," Frau grinded his teeth, hands clenching the mattress tightly, afraid he might use his strength unintentionally against the teen, "in the House of God. You're taking who knows_ what_ and you're bringing that shit into the church! Who in their right mind would bring drugs into a church?"

"You fucking bring cigarettes and alcohol onto church grounds! Why should I listen to anything you have to say if you do the same exact thing I do?"

"It's not the same! The alcohol and cigarettes won't kill me, but whatever the hell you're taking certainly is killing you! So we are _not_ the same and don't ever think of comparing my habits with yours!"

"Then let me leave! If you care about the image of your _oh-so-precious_ church, then get rid of me! Kick me out! I'm sure you have no problem with that, _Zehel_! Killing off the wicked is your job right? Well, here I am! Drug addict in all his pathetic glory! Do the honors and get rid of one of millions of sinners roaming the earth!"

Unable to control it any longer, Frau lost himself to his anger. He shot towards the sitting brunet, grabbed him by the neck and began to squeeze. Frau's body was shaking in fury, his mind set on one thing. Teito gasped and struggled under his hand as the teen was slowly lifted from the ground and his feet. It was like the feral animal inside Frau was let loose; it was hungry, and it was hungry for blood. He squeezed his hand tighter, his mind still on the single road but his eyes were no longer seeing anything.

Teito's vision went blurry, pain no longer registered but that of his burning lungs and crushed neck. He wheezed and coughed to draw in any breath he could. Strangulation was defiantly one way he didn't want to die so he did the only thing that came to mind at the moment. With both hands around Frau's wrist, Teito moved one along the length of the man's arm as far as he could reach.

Frau felt a small pinch in his arm, and that was all that was needed to bring him back and repress the feral monster in him. He immediately opened his hand, the sound of Teito crashing to the floor followed soon after, coughing and hacking. Frau refused to look down, terrified at what he had just done. He raised his hand up and looked at it as if it was a foreign object. That's when he caught sight of a dark red ring around his forearm. As he turned his arm to get a better view, he realized it was a burn. First degree but it didn't even sting. Almost like sunburn, but a pathetic excuse for one. Teito did this to him with his zaphion, as a last resort to get the blond to let go. Frau swallowed, hard.

"G-go take a shower. There're clothes in that bag for you."

He kept his sight to the wall before him as he heard Teito scurry about at his feet. In little time the water was running and the shower curtain _swished_ closed.

Feeling almost in a dazed state, Frau fell into the recliner. He rested his elbow on the armrest and placed his chin on the palm of his hand. He closed his eyes, unsure of where he should put his gaze. He felt so…_wrong_.

This was only the first night and Frau almost…_killed_ the boy. He had never felt so angry before…never had the need to _express _anger like that.

Azure eyes opened and moved to stare at his limp right arm that lay on his thigh. He opened and closed his fist, watching his muscles twitch as he strained his hand to close tighter.

What if, by the end of the two weeks, only one person left room 13?

**A/N: Wow…geez. Kinda serious, huh? I've never written Frau like that before… (Yeah…no typical rant today.) Let's see how the next chapter goes, yeah? Till then~**


	5. Day 2: Bitter Cries

**A/N: Hmm…I'm finding it more and more difficult coming up with random things to say in my Author's Notes xD Well, firstly, I want to invite all readers to the fifth chapter of H…or Lover's Heat. For short, how bout I just call it H since I had that in the beginning. –ahem– well, welcome! To clarify some aspects now, I know nothing of Frau's past and therefore claim that any reference to his past comes strictly from my mind and will be manipulated to fit the progress of my story. He will remain in character for as long as possible, until a situation calls for it differently. :) Enjoy~~ **

**Chapter Five**

**Day 2: Bitter Cries**

Frau didn't want to open his eyes. It wasn't as if he felt awkward with the situation, or concern for the brat, or anything stupid along those lines. He was simply tired. Tired with this whole situation even though it had just begun. He was uncomfortable, irritable and just plain cranky. Falling asleep on a recliner, though comfortable and well-worn out, was not his idea of death-like sleep. And the lack of food was also adding to his foul mood. Frau had not eaten since they left the Seventh District abruptly and was dying (crude joke) for something warm.

Somewhere in the night, the heater had succeeded in breaking down, just as the manager had said it would. It was so cold even _he,_ of all people, could feel the ice chill seep deep into his bones. Frau might have been what he is, but that did not mean he didn't occupy a mortal body that _eventually_ felt the cold. How was the Second District even inhabitable with this freezing weather?

The blond laid out his options before him.

He could call off this disaster of a plan and just forget about the kid. It seemed like a good idea had it not been for his nagging conscience telling him differently. Deep down, somewhere deep, _deep_ down where his darkest secrets were kept away with lock – and no key – did Frau realize this boy actually meant something to him. What role the brat played in his life, Frau was still uncertain but like a cat, his curiosity steered him in the direction of incoming traffic. He had to find out. Or at least, find out why the teen had captured his attention _before_ he threw himself into this destructive path.

Before the "Mikage Incident", Teito was a curiosity to the bishop, like a new toy to be figured out. Now that little light that used to shimmer in the teen's soft expressions was gone. What replaced it was something very unpleasant and all the bishop wanted to do was bring that little light back, no matter the cost.

Which made option number two easily scratched off: postpone the intervention. He needed to fix Teito now, while the addiction was still new and fresh. If he waited…he didn't want to consider the possibilities.

The next possibility was handing over these troubles to someone else. Maybe Lab or Glasses. [1] But again, that nagging feeling would come back at the mention of their names with this situation. It had to be Frau. No one else, just Frau. He had to be the only one to see how disgraced the teen would get, how vulnerable, furious, depressed, suicidal the teen would be. All those powerful emotions, whether good or bad, the blond repeatedly told himself _he_ would be the only one to see them and have them directed towards himself. He didn't know why. Thought thoroughly, who would like to be yelled at for nothing more than trying to help someone? Frau did. But it wasn't with just anyone, he was sure. Had it been someone else, the blond would refuse at the drop of a hat. If the stranger wanted help, the bishop would help, of course. But if the hypothetical stranger was acting like Teito is now, not even the Pope could get Frau to help the lost soul along.

Frau sighed outwardly, his musings coming to an abrupt halt. He was being a hypocrite, yet again. He had just told himself he didn't care and yet his mind was going off on why he needed to help Teito, why only _he_ could help the brat.

"Because I care."

"Well stop, it's disgusting."

Frau cracked open an eye, just aware that he spoke the last thought out loud.

From across the very small room, Teito was glaring his way. The teen almost looked green under the yellow lamp light, looking more and more like the walking dead. And that is exactly how the teen felt.

The events of last night were well past him though only half a day had passed since the incident. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he blacked out only to be awaken two hours later by an odd headache. Since then, he had gotten up to go to the bathroom three times. By the fourth, the brunet had decided to stay in the bathroom until his nausea had passed over. This was thankfully over since he began vomiting blood for lack of anything else to throw up. Truthfully, he had forgotten since the last time food passed his lips. He just had no appetite anymore. And really, food mattered very little to him, only eating when his body physically told him to give it _something._ But that something was never large. Maybe an apple or orange. Was Teito hungry now? Most certainly, the drugs in his system were being flushed out; his body was regaining its normal function slowly, though painfully. But he would never admit it, not to the likes of Frau. The man was silently torturing him for amusement, Teito was almost certain of it.

"I wasn't talking to you," Frau spoke, breaking Teito's rickety concentration.

The teen gave a sharp growl, glaring as though he could somehow harm the bishop with it. "Well, I'm the only in here, asshole. Unless you're talking to your imaginary purple dragon, I'm the only one you could have directed that statement to."

"Well, brat," Frau equally growled as he opened both eyes to narrow slits. "Maybe I am speaking to my imaginary purple dragon. Heaven knows he's a better conversationalist than you are."

"Then why don't you and your little dragon get married then? I'll be more than happy to be the ring bearer," Teito smirked wickedly, his large washed-out green eyes glinting with a sense of malice.

"Now why on earth would you do that?" Frau's voice hitched to an amused tone though the dark glare he emitted showed anything but amusement. The teen couldn't help but flinch and turn away from the look. "You could care less about anyone. That is, unless they can feed your next damn fix."

Teito kept quiet, studying the quilt he was sitting on top of. It was actually a pretty warm blanket, soft too but those sensations were easily forgotten by Teito's irritation. From this blanket, which part of his sober mind told him was quite comfortable, to the shorts and tee he was wearing, everything felt uncomfortable and wrong. Somewhere deep in his mind, Teito _knew_ these materials were comfortable but his nerve endings told him they were scratchy and annoyingly hot. Was it the drugs doing? Or had Teito's mind finally shut down?

"Hey, brat."

Glaring green looked up from the quilt to deep dark blue; this time Teito was able to suppress his shudder.

"What?" he answered.

"I asked if you were hungry." Frau softened his glare, knowing full well that getting mad at the teen would get him no where. It still pissed him off that the brat would answer him so disrespectfully – not that Teito ever did address him as such – but that he would stoop to glaring and using a foul tone with him hit a nerve.

The brunet refused to answer. To admit meant defeat and, though he didn't know what exactly the battle was about or what for, Teito aimed to win.

Silence lingered for a moment, the two doing nothing more than glaring at each other. Frau broke the eye contact after some moments, thankful for the loud rumbling in the direction of the bathroom. At least it wasn't _so_ quiet when the two refused to speak. The noise in the background kept the awkwardness to a minimum.

With a sigh, the blond was on his feet, making his way towards his bag. After rummaging for a moment, he pulled out an apple and began eating away at it as he made his way back to the recliner propped before of the door.

Teito stared at the apple for a moment; the crunching and slurping noises the bishop was making was causing his nausea to return and a painful hunger to stab at his stomach. He wasn't sure which was worse.

Throwing himself onto the bed and pulling the extremely itchy and hot blanket over him, Teito growled out towards the bishop.

"Do you have to make so much noise when you eat?"

"Only if it can annoy you."

It was said light enough, though Teito saw it anything but. He shot up in bed, his world immediately turning and spinning in a way it wasn't suppose to. All gravity seemed to be nonexistent to him and the creeping sensation of vomit up his throat was bearing down a new irritation that could not be contained.

"What the fuck do you want from me, Frau?" the teen yelled as he held his head in an open palm, refusing to open his eyes in a failed attempt to keep nausea at bay and the world from spinning too quickly. "Do you want me on my knees begging God for forgiveness and the strength to overcome my problems? Well that ain't fucking happening, so I suggest you stop wasting my time, your time, and God's time. I was happy where I was, and you and your damn selfishness had to pull me out of it, didn't you? Well go suck it cause I aint going to ask for your help or God's for that matter!"

"Do you think I get some sick pleasure out of this?"

Surprised at the somber tone, Teito cracked an eye open and lifted his head slightly from his palm to look at the bishop. He was clearly suppressing an emotion, whether it was on the borderline of sadness or anger, the teen wasn't quite sure. Frau was a master at masking himself. The man hardly ever showed his true emotions. Well, unless he was flat out angry and it seemed Teito was making him show that anger a lot lately.

"Do you think I…_enjoy_ having my name cursed against every time you open your mouth? I'm not asking you to do this for God, or even for me. I'm asking you, _making you_, do this for yourself. You are still young, you have so much to live for and yet you are wasting it away on the sick pleasures of temporary ecstasy."

"I have nothing to live for-!"

"_Because I don't have Mikage_! Fuck, Teito!" Frau growled out a sigh as he threw his head back against the headrest. His hands gripped tightly onto the armrests, his fists shaking with suppressed anger, or was it anguish? "Was the kid your lover? Is that why you are so bent out of shape because he's gone? I do not want to denounce Mikage, that is the last thing I would ever do, but people die! It's a fact of life that we all have to experience sooner or later. Only the lucky ones go through their own life without having someone close to them die too soon. You are a fucking war slave; I know you've seen more than your fare share of death. This is just another number to the dozen's you've killed."

"Don't…speak to me…as if you…fucking know…what I've been through."

"The fact of the matter is, kid, I know. I know more than you could have imagined." [2]

The bed squeaked loudly, causing Frau to draw his attention towards the bed. Expecting to see a small bundle of drug infused fury attacking him, Frau readied himself to defend, standing in order to at least frighten the boy from attacking. Instead, he watched as that small form shot past him and into the bathroom. Teito threw himself to the ground, plunged his head into the toilet bowl and vomited in a loud, audible tone. Frau grimaced as he heard, even in the drowning noise of the furnace somewhere beyond their room, the soft cries of a broken child.

[1] Frau likes calling Castor "Glasses" when he's thinking too much :)

[2] I repeat, for those that don't read my author's note: I make no claim in knowing Frau's past, or any of the character's past. Maybe Teito's but to an extent. Frau's background in particular will be manipulated to fit my Fic's needs.

**A/N: Nawwwwwwwwwww. Poor Teito. I really like the end sentence to that. God, I really hate writing Teito in such a depressing state, or even Frau for that matter. I want them happy! D: Well, I'll see you guys in the next chapter, yeah? Hope it isn't as short as this one...maybe I'll blend days together instead of having a chapter for every day... Moving on, Byebye~~**


	6. Day 3: Lost Ability

**A/N: Yo! Um. I was supposed to warn you about something…oh yeah. The chapters aren't going to go by days. I found that very little happens within a day xD So they're going to be joined, though each day does get a title of its own. Do I have to do that? No, I'm just an overachiever like that :D Also, from this point on, the characters are going to get OOC, by how much, I'm letting you guys decide. I'm really trying to keep it at a minimum, only changing them as the situation asks for and stuff like that but…stuff happens. Hope I don't lose readers for this… (; w;)**

**I wanna thank those few who reviewed. I like knowing I'm actually doing something right with my writing :) you guys make me smile! –grins**–** well, moving on. Hope you enjoy the next installment of H~

* * *

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**Chapter Six**

**Day 3: Lost Ability**

The day started off rather strange. It was quiet, even the furnace somewhere beyond the bathroom region had fell oddly silent. Both males had refused to speak to one another, last day's events too foul to bring back to light.

The bishop was pretending to sleep, slouched against his place in the recliner with a thick blanket draped over him. The slave lay in bed, above the covers, doing nothing more than staring at the ceiling. A clock mounted on the room's wall ticked away the time in an agonizingly sluggish rhythm.

Everything seemed calm, too calm, considering their situation.

That is, until Teito sprang from bed too abruptly, causing a sudden paranoia run through the blond when the sound reached his ears. He was forced to open his eyes, only to catch sight of the teen already in mid-air, hands outstretched like a panther ready to pounce. Instinct told the blond to fight, his better judgment told him to subdue.

Frau flung the blanket towards the teen, catching Teito by surprise. In that small instant, Frau stood to his feet and removed himself from the line of fire just in time.

Teito crashed into the recliner, but as the law of physics works, he abruptly fell back, the recliner pushing back on him since it had no where else to direct the momentum.

The teen hissed in pain, struggling with the blanket that managed to ensnare him. Once completing the task of throwing the large piece of material aside, glaring emerald looked up to see surprised sapphire.

Thoughts were not registering, only the need to cause destruction. The ghost of his past feline grace emerged as Teito jumped to his feet, sweeping himself around to stare the bishop down. He tightened his fists, his face in a deep scowl, the muscles in his arms and legs constricted and ready to strike. Frau, however, remained in his casual stance: head cocked to the side, shoulders a bit slouched, hands in his pockets, feet only slightly apart. The thing that Teito did not know was that Frau was forcing this stance. The blond did not trust himself to place a hand on the teen, even if that hand was meant to help or calm. An irrational fear of what he was capable of doing kept him in check.

"What are you doing?" Frau asked in the lightest voice he could muster in the situation.

Teito growled in reply. The teen spun in place, raising his leg in hopes it came in contact with the blond. It did, though not in a place Teito would have liked.

A gloved hand wrapped around his ankle, and for a few moments Teito was placed in a humiliating pose. Hopping on one leg as his arms flailed to keep him balanced. Though it did not take long for that balance to disappear.

The teen's only stationed foot slipped. He placed his hands before him, any attempt to soften the blow that was to come. His hands hit first, a sharp pain ran through his wrists. He allowed the rest of his arms to fall to the ground, propping himself up by the entire length of them.

Feeling slightly amused by the situation, Frau tugged on the boy's leg that was still in his grasp. Though that might not have been the smartest of ideas. Teito hissed and, with his free leg, kicked outward. A millisecond later, his ankle was released and he quickly scurried away.

"_Fucking brat_!" Frau hissed, rubbing his shin vigorously. He never knew the kid had such a wicked kick. Then again, it made sense. Someone of the teen's stature usually had more strength in their legs than their arms, and the boy's arms were almost as thin as a girl's.

"I want out!" Teito yelled, quickly turning to the door's barricade in the form of a recliner. He was attempting to move it when Frau took him by the back hem of his shirt, throwing him roughly across the small length of the room. He crashed into the wall, wincing as his head, already throbbing in pain, attained new injury.

"Where do you think you're going?" Frau growled, standing between the recliner and the teen.

"I'm getting out of here! I'm fucking sick and tired of this!"

"Sorry, not gonna happen. Might as well get used to it."

"I'm not going to get used to shit! Move!"

Teito threw himself to his feet, flinging himself towards the blond once more.

This time, Frau caught the small bundle, wrapping his arms around the teen in a bone-crushing embrace as he fell onto the floor, his back against the plush chair.

Teito writhed, not enjoying the proximity between him and the bishop. Frau, however, refused to lighten his hold on the teen.

Tugging at his arms, Teito managed to pull his arms from beside him onto the blond's chest.

"Let. Me. Go!" Teito screamed. That only caused the bishop to tighten his hold.

One hand lowered to Teito's small waist, pulling him forcefully to fit Frau's shape. The other was across the brunet's shoulders, pushing down on him to make it difficult to move.

"What's gotten into you," Frau barely managed that whisper before a sharp pain originated from somewhere on his chest. He looked down though managed only to see Teito's brown hair, the teen's forehead pressed against the base of his neck.

"Why won't it fucking work?" The teen screeched. "Why is it coming out all stupid? It should have cut you in half by now! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!"

"What are you talkin' about?"

"My zaphion! It's…" Teito's breathing came ragged, a new wave of nausea crashed on him too sudden for his liking.

Grasping the bishop's shirt, Teito forced his way up the older man's grasp, slithering almost snake-like. His feet pushed against the ground as well and soon his knees hovered above the ground, his face finally parallel to that of the sitting bishop. He buried his face into Frau's neck and bit harshly down on the strong muscle joining neck and shoulder. He continued to bite even when the taste of blood reached his tongue. Accidentally, his tongue brushed against Frau's cold skin, wiping away the blood in the process.

Frau growled below the teen, his grip tightening to the point that Teito could no longer breathe. The teen gasped audibly, a choking noise emerging from his throat as he pulled away and threw his head back. The arms around him finally released him, and in the surprise of it, Teito fell back onto the ground, a groan escaping him as his many pains returned. He hacked, wheezed and coughed, too exhausted to turn himself from the position he was on his back.

The blond was soon on his feet, falling into the recliner. Weary sapphire eyes turned to look at the boy on the ground, watching as the boy finally regained some form of stable breathing. He only panted now as sweat dripped from his forehead, causing his loose strands of hair to stick on his overheated flesh.

Frau moved a hand to rest on the wound Teito had inflicted. His body, much against the thoughts of his mind, shuddered at the memory. Why did that aggressive act create a small fire in his lower abdomen? His eyes widened just a fraction, darting to stare at nothing in front of him. He did not just…that thought did not just…what?

The blond stood abruptly, head turning to look down at the teen. It was just a momentary lapse of judgment. His brain turned off for that moment in time; after all, it _had _been a while since he took a woman to bed. Not that the brat could be his vent for his suppressed urges.

'_Whoa! Whooooooooa. Back up a sec, Frau.'_

Just the fact that Frau had considered the possibility, or lack there of, that he and Teito could ever take that direction, it meant that the bishop might have actually thought about it before. He sighed, sliding a hand down his face. He was thinking way too into this.

Turning his attention back to the teen, Frau frowned at the sight. The boy looked like he was struggling just to breathe; his eyes had finally closed instead of staring lifelessly into space. Frau moved to pick the teen into his arms, surprised that Teito was not resisting only glaring and whispering 'I hate you', and placed him back on the bed. He pulled the cotton blanket from underneath the boy and, instead, draped him with the thin sleek one beneath it. He had taken notice before that Teito was fussing with the fibery quilt, probably annoyed with the texture. This way, with the cooler one on him, the teen could sleep longer, postponing the erratic behavior the blond would have to endure. He still could not believe how much the boy was sweating, what with the cold wind throwing snow under the doorway, not that the teen noticed, what with the recliner in the way.

With a sigh, Frau threw himself back into his usual spot, relaxing his stiff shoulders and placing his cheek against his propped arm. His sights stayed on the boy, watching as his breathing finally slowed. The bishop frowned again; disliking the brunet's stressed appearance. But what could he do? Sure, he can get the kid past the physical need for the drugs but the mentality of it? Teito's cooperation for that was needed. No, required.

The blond sighed. He would not be getting his hot shower tonight, what with the watch dog duty he needed to do now more than ever.

**Day 4: Half-Conscious **

At first, Frau thought the teen was gagging in his sleep. Then that thought turned to the boy was laughing, falling into crazed hysterics. Only after the furnace quieted to a soothing hum did the bishop realize Teito was crying. Probably had been crying since his puking episode a few hours prior. But the blond had closed his eyes then, faking sleep. He opened his eyes again when he was sure the boy had gone back to bed.

Sleep had taunted him since the past night, coming so close within reach only to retreat at the smallest of noises from the teen. He had not realized it was morning until he glanced at the clock while Teito was in the bathroom. Since then, he had stared at the boy's back, watching him shake and shiver though he was sure it was not from the cold.

Giving a sigh, though not caring enough to stand from his somewhat comfortable position, Frau called out to the teen. Teito stiffened immediately, the noise he was making ceased. Frau tried again but, like before, did not receive an answer. Frau sighed and pushed himself to his feet. He forced himself to take two strides to reach the bed, trying to postpone the situation.

Teito curled further into himself as he felt Frau's looming presence, unaware that the bishop had been hearing him since the moment he started. Now that he was caught in the act, the teen did not know how to react. Except, he did react, though probably not in the smartest way possible.

In an instant, Teito's arms were around Frau's neck, his eyes streaming tears as he nuzzled into Frau's neck. He gave out chocked cries as he tried to form a coherent sentence. Frau would be lying if he said the sudden embrace did not surprise him. He patted the boy's back, unsure of what else to do.

"Kid, are you alright?" He wanted to make sure this was not some trap. After all, Teito was pure anger yesterday, what made today so different?

"F-Frau…please," Teito pulled back to get better view of the blond, the teen's face scrunched into agony. "Why are you doing this? Do you really hate me? C-can't you just…let me go? Please, please, please?"

This _was_ just like yesterday, though a different tactic. Frau's eyelids lowered, annoyed boredom etched into his dark blue eyes. He let one arm fall to his side while the other pushed the teen away gently. Teito looked extremely confused at the sudden rejection but Frau's features never showed more than annoyance. He turned in spot and reseated himself. Getting up _was_ a waste of time.

Teito frowned though his eyes were still watery with sadness. He sat on his legs, still on the bed, as he continued to stare at Frau. Why wasn't the bishop reacting the way he was suppose to?

"Frau-!"

"No."

"But-!"

"I said no."

"Just lis-!"

"No."

Teito remained silent, tears continued to stream down his ashen cheeks.

"I thought I made this clear. You are not leaving until I can assure your health is no longer in danger."

"Fucking _Frau_! Can't you see you're making my health what it is by not giving me what I want?" Teito forced his eyes shut, hands fisting the blanket below him.

Frau's lips dipped into a scowl.

"Oh, am I now?" _Sarcastic-asshole makes his long-awaited appearance._

Teito growled at Frau's cold reply, refusing to open his eyes. He was afraid what the bishop might find in them.

"Please, Frau…" Teito pulled his legs out from under him so that they hanged over the bed, his head downcast.

"Please what, Frau?" the blond asked with a smile. "Please help me hurt myself, Frau? Please feed my addiction, Frau? Please help me hurt the people who love me, Frau?"

"I'm not trying-."

"Please help me become an unstable _fuck, _Frau? Please help me _whore_ myself out for more drugs, Frau?"

"How do you know-?"

"My life _fucking_ sucks, Frau," the blond added though the undeniable hurt in his tone caused him to flinch before he finished his sentence, "help me kill myself."

The boy was forced to stay quiet, unable to retort no matter how desperately he wished to. Even eye contact with the bishop seemed to be difficult, especially the part where Teito had to raise his head to do so. Frau's heavy gaze was too much for the teen.

"Look at me," Frau demanded in a tone that made Teito cower.

The anger Frau had showed him during their first day was something violent, unstable and it scared Teito to no end. But this anger, this anger that was not caused spontaneously, it probably had been growing little by little due to the disapproving actions Teito was engaging in. This anger was true, real. These emotions were the real ones associated with Teito in Frau's heart.

The teen shook his head.

"I wasn't asking. Lift your head up. And look. At. Me."

With watery eyes, Teito gazed into cold dark lakes. They seemed to have hardened incredibly, and only then did Teito begin to realize that he missed how cool they used to be. Frau's eyes were hardly ever warm, but they were always calm, gentle. The man was a master with words but his soft demeanor was his winning attribute. Teito discovered this. He used to crave the blond's manner a time long, long ago. He wanted it now. He wanted it back. How could Teito get Frau to see him through gentle eyes?

Frau took a moment to just study the boy. Obviously something had changed in that small minute in which it took Teito to follow his order. The sadness in those eyes, the scrunched up appearance of the teen's face: the boy was experiencing _true_ sorrow. What caused that change, or why now, was still a mystery but Frau was thankful for _something._

"Why…? Why won't you let me help you?"

"I don't need you catching me every time I fall!" The brunet's voice cracked as he tried to pull in courage to continue the stare down with the bishop. "Sometimes… sometimes there's nothing you can do to save someone. Why can't you understand that much?"

Frau took a moment to contemplate the situation. The boy had really given up. After all this, after everything, the boy wanted to just lie down and die. Where did Frau go wrong? He had always been there. Always supportive, comforting. When did Teito slip through his fingers?

Without a word, the bishop rose to his feet, stripped away his shirt and threw it behind him. His gloved followed next. Like bread crumbs leading the way, Frau's articles of clothing lead to the bathroom.

Teito's eyes were kept to the last place he saw the bishop, almost flinching when the shower curtains _swished_ closed. He let out a jagged breath as the sound of running water and a humming furnace filled the quiet room; he was terrified in more ways than one.

He wanted Frau's acceptance, but he also wanted to be able to control his own life. He had been a slave for so long; his life was planned out for him. And in the Academy, his life was planned too. It might not have been a glamorous one, or a pleasant one, but planned none the less. This was the first decision he had ever made in his life, and to be told repeatedly that it was the wrong one? It hurt. It really did.

Why couldn't Frau just accept him the way he was? What if this was the type of person he was suppose to turn out to be? [1]

Teito pushed himself to his feet, wobbling a bit as the earth below his feet shook but once the earthquake passed, he proceeded to the bathroom.

"Frau! Frau! You didn't answer my question." Teito leaned against the doorframe, speaking to the cream-colored curtain.

For a moment, the blond didn't reply, all coherent thought lost as soon as the steaming water showered onto his chilly skin. His pale skin goosebumped at the feel, feet and fingers burning slightly as they began to thaw. He let out a content sigh, still ignoring the teen until he caught sight of slim fingers curl around the curtain's end. They pulled the curtain open, but Frau was faster and stopped the curtain before he was exposed to the teen on the other side. His fisted hand kept the curtain pinned to the wall, taking the portion below Teito's own grip. He found it a bit better to expose his top-half than bottom-half to the brunet.

"Brat, I fucking swear, keep pulling and I'll give you a real reason to cry."

"Fucking answer my question!" Teito screamed on the other side, using both hands now to tug on the curtain.

"Why should I?" He retorted, the showering hot water soon growing annoying rather than relaxing by the second. "I thought it was a rhetorical question," he answered honestly.

Teito stopped pulling for a moment, before continuing his actions. "W-well, it was but now I want to know! Why are you trying so hard to help me?"

"You can't try _hard_," Frau commented, elaborating by knocking on the tile wall in front of him, "this is hard." [2]

"Stop being a smart ass!"

"Stop being a whiny _little_ brat. Oh, you can't, can you? Guess I can't either," Frau added with a faux sigh, as if it really pained him that he couldn't.

Teito growled, "you jackass!"

"I thought I was a smart ass? How bout just call me a donkey. I like the mental picture of a donkey better than an ass."

"Frau!" Teito groaned.

"Brat!" Frau replied just for the fuck of it.

"Stop calling me that!"

"Let me help you and I'll stop."

The brunet paused for a moment, unsure of what he truly heard. "W-what?"

A small squeak filled the bathroom as the shower knobs were turned shut. The showerhead dripped the remnants of the remaining water before coming to a silent still. The furnace, however, continued its steady humming. Frau's free hand, the one not holding the curtain closed, took the towel he had placed nearby and released his hold on the curtain. Teito fell on the ground with an audible _thud_, taking the curtain with him.

Frau stepped out from the tub, towel wrapped in place. He raised an eyebrow toward the teen who was now struggling to remove the wet fabric.

"You didn't let go?" The blond asked innocently.

Teito glared at the bishop from his sitting position on the floor, the curtain still wrapped around his waist. With a sigh, the brunet let Frau's complete insensitivity slide and proceeded to stand, a bit relieved that the curtain created a ring around his feet rather than still attached to his wait. He stepped out of the circle and took the remaining step that separated him from Frau. He looked up at the man, slightly conscious at the bare naked chest before him, taunt with muscle.

The blond couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the end of his lips. The boy had turned scarlet, trying with much difficulty to keep his eyes up towards Frau's blue. He was enjoying this a bit too much; his subconscious screamed at Frau to see to reason but the blond easily ignored.

_Frau is huge!_ That was the only thought running through Teito's mind as he tried desperately to win the staring contest he was having with said blond. He wasn't sure of how it started but there they were, the stupid moron smirking while Teito could feel how heated his face had gotten in little over ten seconds. No man should be allowed to have that much muscle, not to mention Frau's good looks. Not like Teito noticed at all. Sure, he was slightly open to same-sex relationships (the customers at the host club were not always female) but that didn't mean Frau qualified. No, not at all. The bastard was still the bastard he knew. Taunting him whenever he could. Especially about his height. And even though he hardly said any short jokes, the fact that he towered over the brunet was a joke in and of itself. _Bastard._

"Brat, you're red," Frau commented as a means to get this conversation moving. His subconscious finally making him to see to sense.

"Frau, you're a moron."

"You're short."

"…I'm fun-sized."

"Touché." And with that, Frau made his way to the room, noticing that Teito followed behind.

The boy was looking so much better, better than before. That little spark that had interested the bishop was not back, by any means, but there was something there, waiting to be brought to life. Frau was so close, so close. He couldn't screw this up now. He had Teito well within his grasp, well within the road to recovery. Frau hardly ever _willingly_ prayed but this time, he believed the occasion called for it. A silent prayer was sent to the Chief of Heaven as the blond placed clean clothing on his damp skin, not bothering to see if the boy was watching him or not. It seemed the brat was a tad more comfortable around the same sex than aught to be but the blond thought nothing more of it. If there was a reason for this, Frau _kinda_ didn't want to know. Though suspected Mikage to play a part of it. After all, he still believed the blond teen and brunet had been secret lovers from their days in the Academy.

"Frau," Teito began once Frau finished changing, finally opening his eyes. He had kept them closed through most of it, until he was sure that Frau's lower region was covered with something more than a towel. "Did you actually mean what you said?"

"Hm. Depends on what I said," he replied as he dried his hair.

"That you'll stop calling me brat if I let you…'help me'."

"Yeah, I meant it," Frau threw the comment as if it didn't matter.

"But nothing's wrong with me."

Frau's hope crushed that very instant. He came so close to shooting off his mouth to the Chief of Heaven for being such an inconsiderate _prick_ but calmed himself at the last moment. So Teito thought nothing was wrong? Seriously? Fine, fine. Whatever, not like Frau had expected much of anything. He turned to the brunet and found him in his chair. Throwing the towel aside, he picked up his discarded gloves, slipped them on, grabbed the teen by the back hem of his shirt and threw him onto his bed, and lastly clapped his hands together so the light in the corner could flicker off. He settled into his recliner, pulled his blanket over him and pretended to sleep as Teito continued to call out his name.

At least the boy looked better. But all this would be for nothing if Teito didn't sincerely want help. What could Frau really do in this situation? This monster that Teito had inside him couldn't be beaten into submission. It had to be willed out.

Frau sighed. It would have been so much easier if Teito had another Kor inside him. That, Frau could handle. He was good at exterminating Kor; drug addictions, not so much. With another sigh, Frau settled into another half-conscious state of awake. Perhaps between the time now and the normal bedtime, Frau would be deep into sleep.

* * *

[1] Due note, Teito is still riding the Druggie Express, his logic should _not_ make sense.

[2] Ugh! You have no idea how many times I was told this through my senior year at High School. Let me tell you, it's really, _really_ annoying. And if you want to get under someone's skin, I recommend calling them out every time they improperly use the word "hard".

**A/N: Okay, I know some of the things I said here have stupid, or small, explanations (like Teito's sudden approval of same-sex couples) but some of them will be explained later on. I just didn't want to have a random paragraph explaining stuff like that when it doesn't belong with the chapter. Bear with me and all will be revealed :D Or mostly all…all that I can remember. Until next time, folks~**


	7. Day 5: Loving Cold

**A/N: Ya know, with no school to look forward to in the fall, I'm really starting to push out these chapters. :) Hm. Well, I haven't much to say since I've warned time and time again about the expecting OOCness and stuff so I welcome all to the next chapter of H!

* * *

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**Chapter 7**

**Day 5: Loving Cold**

It was dark. That was the first thing that registered. Then the cold. The bitter, icy cold that seeped deep into your bones, a cold so foul that all you wanted was to lie down and sleep because that was all you could really do. There was no way to chase this sort of cold away with warmth; warmth was terrified of this cold.

Teito huffed as he forced his limbs to run through the bitter frost. Tiny grey particles floated from the sky towards the ground in a delicate dance. They landed among the heaps that littered the ground. The teen's bare feet tramped over the seemingly white ground, leaving behind tracks that were easily covered up by the falling particles in an unnatural speed.

A looming shadow passed his peripheral vision, causing the teen to sharply turn his head at the sight. Nothing was to his left. He turned. Nothing was to his right. He continued forward, trudging through the maze of trees before him. He ducked and weaved, the bitter air scraping harshly against his sensitive lungs. But he continued running none the less. If he stopped, something would get him. Something evil, malevolent. Something that wanted to make his last moments alive theirs.

A cry almost originated from the brunet's throat as he reached his limit. His legs burned with the desire to stop, so did his lungs and heart. It seemed his brain was the only motivator to keep moving, to keep itself alive at the cost of its fellow workers well-being. _Damn selfish bastard._

Struggling to continue forward, Teito's vision tunneled. His mind focusing on the sole goal to get away. In this distracted state, the brunet failed to notice an object protruding from the ground near his feet. As luck would have it, Teito's foot caught and his footing slipped. He tripped face forward onto the ground. The foul stench of rot hitting his nose once he reached the ground.

He pushed himself to kneel on the ground, too tired to pull himself all the way to his feet but enough to get away from the smell. As he turned to see what exactly had caused him to trip, his breath caught in his throat.

From out of the ground, a human arm twisted as if reaching out to touch the black sky. Its fingers broken and twisted at odd angles. The skin peeled off in chunks, exposing rotting flesh and bone underneath.

Teito's scream caught in his throat as he backed away on hands and feet, dragging himself across the grey ground. His breathing came out ragged as he tried to force himself to calm, tears threatening to spill out.

As he continued to back away, his hand nicely slipped into something behind him. His large terrified emerald eyes turned, partially in time with his head, to look at what cold, soft object he was holding onto. What he saw finally forced him to his feet, rubbing his hand fiercely on his pant leg. Once standing though, he wished with all his might, he was on the ground again.

There he stood in the mist of the most terrifying scene he could ever imagine, how he had not seen it before was certainly a mystery. Bodies upon bodies lay scattered amongst the scene, some half buried by the grey flakes falling from the sky, others hanging above in trees, all ranging between different stages of decomposition and size. Some appeared old, others young and small. Teito cringed, taking a step back from it all. So many lifeless glassed-over eyes watched him; he let out a jagged breath, it came out as small wisps of white.

Suddenly, something tightly gripped his ankle, finally startling a cry from him. He turned his attention to the ground, watching with horror as a wax-looking arm pulled its way up from the ashen snow. Soon a shoulder was exposed and Teito still could not move. When the rest appeared before Teito, his legs bucked under him, crashing him into the ground. He stared stupidly as another hand appeared, and soon those two rotting limbs took hold of his shirt, tugging the form closer to the terrified teen.

Mouth gaping open, tears flowing freely, Teito stared into the lifeless honey-brown eyes that could only belong to a certain blond he knew so long ago. Mikage.

The corpse's mouth hung, its swelled rotting tongue hanging out as if it could no longer fit inside its mouth. The boy's once soft complexion was rough, disfigured, peeling and blue at places. A putrid hand wrapped around Teito's neck before he could comprehend the situation. Mikage squeezed relentlessly.

"_You…killed me!"_

Self-preservation finally kicked in, causing Teito to take hold of his dead friend's wrist, succeeding in pulling the grasp a bit to allow him the act of breathing. He grinded his teeth, desperately trying to keep the blurring saltwater from clouding his eyes. Soon that vice-like grip caught him again as two hands grasped his wrists and tugged him backward. He coughed at the action as the dead corpse before him leaned his weight into the act of strangulation. Teito, in all of it, could feel his hands being pinned over his head by equally cold, slimy, rough hands.

The brunet tilted his head back slightly and caught sight of familiar dark hues, familiar only in his dreams. _Father…_

The man's face was set in a scowl, unlike Mikage who had no expression on his face at all. He leaned forward, brushing his chapped, ripped lips against the teen's ear.

"_If it was not for your existence…"_

Mikage's grip lessened and Teito jerked his head away, refusing to hear the rest. Coughing and panting, emerald gazed up to see his friend clawing away at a robed figure which held him with skeletal fingers by the neck. As if the blond teen weighted no more than a small animal, Mikage was thrown aside, falling into a pile of half-covered bodies.

The robed figure, the one that was chasing him previously through the ashen forest, appeared well within his line of sight, his hood down to obscure his features.

The stench of burning flesh soon reached the teen's nostrils and he choked on the smell. He squinted as the cloaked figure turned his head to stare at the dark sky. More ashen snow began to fall.

"_From ashes we are born, to ashes we return."_

Teito's eyes grew wide, the voice ringing loudly in his head. Everything around him, all the grey he thought was snow was in fact ashes. Ashes of the deceased. The figure turned his attention back to the teen, pointing a skeletal finger at the boy.

"_Teito Klein, you are here because of your sins."_

"I didn't…" he began, shuddering at the sound in his head. The cloaked figure wasn't speaking physically, it was speaking directly into the teen's head. "I didn't do anything wrong!" Tears poured down his face as he tried desperately to believe the lie himself. The ash continued to fall around him, at times it landed on his face, causing the teen to twitch uncontrollably, wanting nothing more than to clean it all away.

"_Only the sinful preach that kind of treachery. All creatures sin, Teito Klein. Yours, however, are far worse than common man."_

"Please…please! I don't…I don't want to die…"

"_Did you listen to that small girl's pleas, much similar to your own, in the City of Almeka? Or what of the elderly man who wished you to spare his grandchildren's life in exchange for his own? Did you grant his wish? Tell me, Teito Klein, did you spare his grandchildren? …No, you slaughtered them before his very eyes before taking his own. I am an unforgiving soul, Teito Klein. Why should I grant your request when the dozens you have slaughtered were not given the same opportunity?" _[1]

"I didn't…I couldn't…I was forced to!" Teito forced his eyes shut; no longer struggling against the hold he was in. Everything was his fault. All these dead people around him, it was his fault. He couldn't stop himself, he couldn't even remember the faces of the lives he stole.

"_Forced? There is no such thing as being forced to take a life. Easily, you could have sacrificed your own life to spare the dozens you would later take. Despicable creature. Look at me."_

Teito gasped involuntarily, that voice in his head sounded all too familiar. He refused to open his eyes, however, not wanting to prove his theory right. But at the moment, he was in no position to go against the masked figure before him.

A cool, smooth bone grazed the numb flesh on his cheek, startling him into opening his eyes. Teito held his breath as he stared into hollow eyes. If skulls could grin maliciously, Teito would have bet this one did at that very moment. The teen immediately began hyperventilating as memories of a past life began flashing before his eyes.

"No…please…Zehel…" he pleaded though knew they fell on deaf ears.

"_You slaughtered the innocent to extend your own life. You should have died long ago, Teito Klein. I shall fulfill this unavoidable destiny now."_

The form rose and Teito watched as a long pole began to form in a fleshed hand. The skin was pale, with an odd mark etched between the wrist and knuckles. The hand gripped the shadowy pole tightly and swung it over head, raising it up towards the red moon hovering above the trees. Teito's eyes widened as he caught sight of Frau's unforgiving blue underneath the cloak. The man's face was expressionless, his eyes withdrawn and glassy, as if he had no care of whom would be at the receiving end of his scythe.

The brunet immediately began to squirm, tugging harshly at his Father's grasp. He continued to mumble pleas as he tried to get away. But he was soon held still by hands reaching up from the ashes below him, grasping onto anything they could get their rotting limbs on to hold him still.

"…no…no…no…"

"May God be with you, Teito Klein."

And the scythe swung down.

"No!"

Teito bolted upright, bewildered at the plain sight before him. He looked around, unsure of what was real and what was imaginary. The blanket was curled around him, trapping him somewhat in an uncomfortable state. He struggled with that for a moment, tears streaming down his face as he realized it was all a dream. Just a dream. That is, until he caught sight of burning red prints around his wrists, they were shaped oddly like fingers.

"No…no…I didn't…it couldn't…"

"Kid, hey kid. You alright?"

Emerald dashed upward to catch sight of Frau, advancing slowly towards him, hand outstretched.

"No! I-I'm sorry, Zehel!" Teito backed away from the approaching form, his hand outstretched as if it could somehow stop the supernatural being from reaching him. He had crawled all the way to the end of the bed before realizing it and fell to the ground in surprise. That, however, did not stop him from continuing until the wall told him that was as far as he could travel. "I didn't mean…please, please forgive me! Those people…I…I just wanted to live! I…I didn't know who they were, I just wanted to live! Please, please! I don't want to die, not now!"

Frau stared stupidly at Teito upon hearing the teen address him as…_that_. He had never been addressed with that title, by anyone. Now to hear the boy say it, especially with all those pleas to spare the teen's life, it was something of a shock. What exactly did the kid dream about? He had witnessed, for a good five minutes of Teito thrashing around. He had only gotten up to interfere when the brat had wrapped his own hand around his neck and began squeezing to the point where the boy was turning blue!

"Kid…calm down. I'm not going to hurt you," the blond tried again, not taking another step in case the boy turned paranoid and began thrashing around again.

"I…I didn't do it on purpose! I swear! I…I loved Father…a-and Mikage! I…I wouldn't take their lives purposefully! A-and all those other people…they made me do it! I didn't want to! I didn't but I wanted to live! I was y-young and st-st-stupid! Please," Teito's eyes brimmed over with tears, "don't…don't kill me."

"I would never… Kid, please, this is Frau you're talking to, not Zehel." Frau knelt down to one knee, hands fisted at his side. This was not a dream; Frau would never, ever intentionally hurt the boy. Before, it had always been an accident, or the kid actually needed some sense knocked into him, but never to the point of actual hurt and pain. He would never, ever hurt the boy for the sake of some sick pleasure he might get out of it. He was not a Death God, he was he. He was Frau.

Teito shook his head, still believing all this to be some sort of trap. He brought his legs up, wrapping his trembling arms around them as he pulled them against his chest.

"Damnit, brat. I'm not…I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not Zehel, not now." The blond stood, unsure of what to do. Whatever the kid had dreamed about, he certainly was shaken up about it.

Frau took a step forward, placing a hesitant hand on the boy's mop of hair. The body below tensed visibly and the blond had to suppress the urge to sigh out loud.

"You had a nightmare, kid," he tried, really, _really_ unsure of what else to say.

"It felt too real," came Teito's muffled reply after a few moments' silence.

"Cause you were the one choking yourself. You were the one who gripped your wrists to the point where it left a mark."

As Frau explained, Teito pulled his hands before him, placing one hand along his wrist. Just as Frau said, the red marks on his wrists matched that of his fingers.

"What were you dreaming?"

"… ashes, bodies, Mikage, Father…Zehel, you."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"… '_From ashes we are born, to ashes we return'_."

"Book two, chapter seventeen, verse eight." [2]

Teito turned his gaze up to the blond, feeling entirely intimidated by Frau's size, especially as he recalled his dream. He took Frau's hand from his head and tugged down, signaling the bishop to sit with him. The blond took the hint and slid his back along the wall until he was seated beside the teen. With one leg stretched out and the other folded – due to the bed keeping him from stretching it as well – Frau placed his hands on his lap, unsure of what to do with them.

"What does it mean?" Teito asked after a moment of silence, a shiver running through him as the cold soon made itself known.

Frau reached out to the bed just a foot away and stole the blanket, handing it over to the teen before starting.

"Well, pretty self explanatory. We were created from the ground, from ash, and we return to the ground after we die."

"T-that's not what…what I'm asking is that place I saw, is it real?"

"You're going to be a bit descriptive about the place. I can't go on what you've told me."

The brunet took a deep breath, not wanting to but needing to relive the dream.

"It was…like a forest. The ground was littered with a-…ashes. In the trees, on the ground, the bodies were everywhere. It kept snowing ashes and…Father was there, Mikage too…and…you," Teito's voice grew quieter as he neared the end. He kept his sights on his hands on his lap, continually placing his fingers onto the red marks on his wrist.

"Me…as Zehel." It wasn't a question but Teito nodded anyway. "And I…_Zehel_, recited to you chapter seventeen verse eight of the second book?"

Teito nodded.

"That…" Frau swallowed, _hard_. "I'll tell you, only if you let me help you."

Teito looked up to Frau only to see that the blond was already looking down at him. Teito's gaze shifted back to his lap, watching as his hand gripped his wrist tightly.

"That dream might have been caused by the drugs-."

"Why does everything have to be because of what I've done?" Teito brought his knees up to his chest, hiding his face into the newly created crevice. He tightly pulled the blanket around him, shivering.

"I saw it in that bag you fucking had back at the Church. _Serene_, that could explain your damn dream. You have no idea what that shit does, except the, quote on quote, 'good' things."

Teito remained silent, pondering on his next course of action. He had to admit, now that he wasn't puking left and right, he felt so much better. His drug necessities weren't ravaging him at every conscious moment. And there were quite a number of perks in his letting Frau "help" him. Maybe…perhaps. He just wanted to go home. Forget about everything. Be a fifteen year old kid again that turned bright red whenever one of the Sisters would kiss them on the cheek or when Labrador would give them candy. He just wanted to be fifteen again.

"Okay."

Frau paused all coherent thought and remained focused on the two-syllable word.

"What?"

"I said…okay." Teito continued to speak into his knees. "But there are conditions."

Skepticism filled Frau as he looked down to the teen with an eyebrow cocked.

"And those would be…?"

"First, stop calling me brat. You're not allowed to use that word in reference to me anymore."

"Keep going." Frau was not going to agree to anything just yet.

"You answer any and every question I ask you."

"Now that might be a bit difficult-."

"Every question, Frau."

"Anything else, your royal short-ness?" Frau inquired a bit annoyed.

Teito forced himself to glare at Frau, though lost much of its potential when fatigue swept over him suddenly. These random fits he was having would have to stop, and soon. The teen did not think he would be able to handle any more of it.

As he mulled over the thought of forcing Frau to lay off the short jokes, he found that he just couldn't do it. Since 'brat' would no longer be in the blond's vocabulary, there would be fewer things they could fight about. And Teito found he rather enjoyed fighting with the bishop, _playfully_ fighting. Or arguing. So he let that slide, for now.

"Lastly, I want you to help me train."

Frau paused for a moment. "Train?" he finally asked.

"Yeah. Train. Physically and my Zaphion too…if I ever get it back." Teito turned to face forward again, hugging himself more tightly. Just thinking that his zaphion might not come back, seeing that it hasn't worked for him when he needed it the past few days, it depressed him to no end.

"Here would be my conditions if I agreed to all this."

"You get no conditions. It's I let you help me and I get the conditions."

Frau smirked, lowering his head so the brunet could see it.

"Now, how is that fair? My conditions aren't that bad. First, under no circumstances are you allowed to take any sort of drug anymore…unless it's for medicinal purposes…and if Lab gives it to you. Second, you are not allowed to step a foot within the Sixth District without me present."

"Don't trust me, do you Frau?"

"Not entirely anymore. Thirdly, any problems you have, anything at all, just come talk to me. Don't go off and do something stupid…like join a cult…or the military."

Teito had to laugh at that, a short dry laugh but a laugh none the less.

"And that's all I can think of right now. So, do we have a deal?"

Emerald turned to gaze up at sapphire, finally seeing that calm coolness the brunet had learned to miss. He nodded and removed his hand from under the blankets. Without needing to be told, Frau took the smaller hand in his own and shook it.

"Deal, now go take a bath, you smell."

Teito glared, threw the blanket at Frau's face and proceeded to the bathroom. Once his back was turned on the bishop, he couldn't help a small smile tugging at his lips. Things would go back to how they used to be, he could feel it.

As he turned the faucets on, plugging the drain to allow the water to accumulate, Teito stripped off his shirt before realizing he was too lazy to take the rest off. He slipped into the steamy warm bathwater in nothing but his shorts and relaxed as the warmness seeped into his chilly bones, relaxing muscle. He was in the water only a moment before a thought occurred to him to sit underneath the pouring faucet. He shifted and soon his shoulders were under the tiny waterfall. He gave a satisfied sigh. Ever so slowly, he sunk into the water, holding his breath as he stared at the ceiling through a watery kaleidoscope.

His hands outstretched towards the faucet, grasping the cold metal tightly while the rest of him stayed under. After a some seconds holding his breath, Teito decided it best to go up for air but as he pushed himself to sit up, his arms remained stiff, elbows unable to bend. He tried again, with a bit more force, but found his arms remained where they were. Panic began to bubble in his chest and he involuntarily gasped as he continued to thrash about, desperately trying to resurface for air. His vision blurred momentarily as his lungs filled with water, his entire body falling numb although warm water sloshed around him.

Just as he was about to swallow another mouthful of water, a hand reached in and extracted him forcefully. Teito was dragged out of the tub, coughing all the while. His shaky hands gripped tightly onto the material before him, trembling at the cold air against his semi-warm skin. Strong arms wrapped around him tightly, causing him to shudder even more. They just felt so cold.

Frau began to pant, unsure of why, just on basic principle. He threw his head back against the tile wall, slouching a bit as the body below him began to shiver violently. It didn't take much to pull the brat out of the water, but just seeing the act terrified him in ways he never thought possible. He continued to pat the boy's back, hearing him cough into his shirt. But Frau didn't mind. Not at all. He just wanted to know _what the fuck_ the boy was thinking?

As if reading Frau's mind, Teito pushed lightly against the hold, surprised at how easily Frau allowed him the space. His fingers curled around Frau's wet shirt, as if letting go would result with him back in the tub, drowning again.

The teen opened his mouth to speak, but found that nothing came out. He continued to force himself, watching through blurry eyes at the alarmed look on Frau's face.

"I didn't…I wasn't trying…I wasn't trying to kill myself! Frau, I-I wasn't! I r-r-really wasn't! Y-you've got to believe me! M-my arms were k-k-keeping me down! I don't k-know how or w-why but-!"

"I believe you."

And for some reason, that meant the world to Teito. His eyes overflowed, no longer able to contain them. He lowered his head and sobbed quietly, trying desperately to suppress this embarrassing emotion but to no avail.

"F-Frau…I wasn't trying…I really d-don't know what-."

"Kid, I believe you."

Teito felt a cold finger slip under his chin and lift it up. For a moment, he stared into deep blue eyes, unsure of what could be lurking in their depths but soon his unasked question was answered.

Cold lips pressed down hungrily on his and Teito found he couldn't resist the urge to kiss them back. His eyes drifted closed as he felt himself being lifted to sit on Frau's lap. A cold hand found its way to the small of the teen's back; Teito shivered at the new sensations his body was receiving, not sure if they were good or bad at the moment. Frau's other hand slipped into Teito's wet hair, holding him in place.

A soft moan escaped the teen as Frau explored his mouth with that sinfully talented tongue. He stood on knees, coming close to the blond's sitting height, and tilted his head off to the side to allow the already passionate kiss to grow deeper.

Teito inhaled deeply through his nose as his lungs burned for air and Frau took that as a sign to slow down. The blond pushed the teen back slightly, panting lightly as he stared, a bit startled, at the red-faced brunet before him. The boy was equally at loss for words, unsure if he wanted their actions to continue or not.

"F-Frau?" He tried but soon his lips were held captive once more and with much more force.

For a brief moment, tongues danced around each other in Teito's warm mouth before it all came to an abrupt end. Frau pulled back and took the teen into his arms instead, resting his forehead on the brunet's small sounder. Teito continued to shiver against the touch but Frau found he didn't care at the moment, he just wanted the boy close, to make sure nothing happened to him ever again.

"I was…scared," the bishop hated to admit but found himself saying it anyways.

"I'm sorry, Frau." Teito wrapped his arms around the bishop's neck, stroking that oddly spiked hair. "I am so sor-."

"Kid, just…don't talk right now. Just…just stay right here for a sec, please."

Frau sounded oddly husky, but Teito knew better than to comment on that at the moment. Instead, he nodded his head and leaned heavily against the bishop, wanting nothing more than sleep. And as his eyes began to close, he found he didn't quite mind if that happened. Not at all.

* * *

[1] Almeka and everything else in this paragraph doesn't exist in o7-ghost land or ever happened. I think… Just made it up to add effect, yah know?

[2] Made it up for effect –scratches head sheepishly–

**A/N: I wonder how differently this scene would have gone if Teito got in the bath naked… o.o Guess we'll never know now, huh? Till next time guys, hope you liked this chappie~~**


	8. Day 6: How to Save a Life

**A/N: Yes, I did steal the title from a song. "How to Save a Life" by The Fray. Moving on, I have an announcement to make: I have received my first fanpicture for this series from a lovely _MeLaNch0LY dreams _(I think that 'o' was a zero, if not, sorry) xD This is the first time something like this has ever happened to me! –sniffles– Thank you, thank you! (^ .^) Damn me and my stupid grammatical errors :/ Forgive me if there are still some in here, one person can only do so much -sniffle- Alright, you guys have probably had enough of my banter (and my laggy updates), so, my readers, new and old, I bring to you…the eight installment of… –pause for dramatic effect– H!**

**Chapter Eight**

**Day 6: How to Save a Life **

That moment, that seemingly endless and fragile moment between sleep and alertness had become a sort of fascination to the teen in the past few weeks. During that moment, he would feel neither the wonders of human-made ecstasy nor the horrendous side effects that accompanied it. It was as if he had never become an addict, as if he was waking up like most of the normal population. During that time, nothing seemed out of reach. Like if he was aware of the fact that he was dreaming. He could control the dream, manipulate it to flow in the way his conscious mind wished it, not his subconscious.

At this moment, as his eyes opened to a sliver, he wondered how far he would go in a "dream". There were lines he would never cross between fantasy and reality. But there was one line he had never bothered to draw: Frau. Never once since their meeting did the teen bother to play with the idea of maybe possibly fantasizing about the bishop. Frau was Frau. He was the man who caught him when he had fallen from that hawkzile. He was the man who made him believe in the disappointing word 'hope'. He was the man who saved him from a Kor, from Ayanami, from himself. But, he was also the man who had forced him on this path. That was why Teito had never allowed himself to feel any sort of love towards the bishop anymore. That was why he was still lying in bed, refusing to act out the fantasy playing in his head.

Frau had hurt him worse than Mikage had ever done.

And that was unforgivable.

Mikage had an excuse, Frau did not.

But…

There was always a 'but', the teen thought bitterly.

But Frau never had to do any of the things he did for the teen. Well, except for the whole hawkzile incident. According to Labrador, Frau had no real choice _but_ to catch the teen. But the other things, trying to save Mikage, protecting him from Ayanami, pulling Teito from that abyss of despair when Mikage vanished from existence. Frau never had the obligation to do any of that. Perhaps that was why Teito was feeling the urge to wobbly sit up and slide out of the bed. To walk, with eyes half open and dazed, towards Frau and straddle the man. With fumbling hands, he would place them on Frau's broad chest and let them roam as they saw fit. At that moment then – when his eyes meet with Frau's – he would lean forward and kiss the man. Kiss him until his own lips felt raw and swollen.

If Frau rejected him, Teito could always pretend to be unaware of it. Blame it on one of the many drugs he had ingested a week ago. Frau couldn't possibly hold him accountable for something the "drugs" forced him to do.

And if Frau did not reject him…

Teito would cross that bridge when he came to it.

It seemed unlikely though, that Frau would _not_ reject him. The man enjoyed broadcasting his lust for the female body. Then again, the kiss had been initiated by the blond. Teito groaned lightly, realizing he was fully awake at this very moment. Too much thinking did that to a person, force them awake when they still wished to be asleep.

With a sigh, Teito turned himself in bed towards the rest of the room rather than staring blankly at the wall. What he saw confused him at first, and then it sparked a mild curiosity. As he sat up, he pulled the covers around his shoulders to keep the stinging cold air at bay. He raised an eyebrow once he caught Frau's attention and continued to stare when Frau said nothing and continued to look at him quizzically.

"You wear glasses?" The teen finally asked.

A pair of black-rimmed rectangular glasses lay, almost elegantly, on the bridge of Frau's nose, as if they had always been there. The blond sighed and closed the book he was currently reading, preparing to remove the eyewear when the teen spoke again.

"No, wait, that's not as surprising as the fact that… you read?"

"Ha…ha." Frau took hold of his book and flung it towards the teen. He cursed lightly when the boy dodged it and continued with the act of removing his eyewear. After folding them gently, he threw them towards his bag in the corner. His attention went back to the teen.

"Hey, that could have really injured me," Teito retorted half-heartedly as he picked up the book and began flipping through its pages.

"The sad part is that it didn't," Frau sighed as he rested his cheek on his propped fist. "How're you feelin'?"

"Nn. Okay, I guess. I'm real hungry though, and my throat burns. And I'm freezing. Oh, and my head really hurts too." As Teito continued to skim through the pages, he couldn't help but wondering if it was a very exciting reference book or a very boring novel.

"You're… 'okay' yet you're complaining about everything." Frau bundled up his blanket and threw it at the teen, satisfied when the thick fabric knocked the teen back.

The blond proceeded to stand and snatch back his book. Once that task was completed, he returned to his previous location, though this time he sprawled himself across the recliner: his legs dangling off one end while his head hung off the other. He opened the book randomly and held it just inches from his nose before attempting to read it. The stupid fine print was always difficult to read.

"Aren't you going to be cold, though?" Teito asked once he managed to fight his way out from under the blanket.

"I'm always cold," Frau mumbled as he stuck his nose deeper into the book, trying desperately to suppress the shiver that continued to run up and down his spine. How could anyone survive in such damn cold weather like this?

"Well, geez. Make me feel worse, why dontcha."

Teito shot a glare towards the blond but felt oddly disappointed when he noticed the bishop was engrossed in his book.

"Frau?"

"Hn?" The bishop refrained from turning away from his novel.

"What are you reading?"

"Somethin' unimportant."

"Can you read it out loud?"

"You'll prob'ly get bored."

"I don't care."

"Hn."

Teito frowned.

"Frau?"

This time, the bishop did not reply at all.

Throwing himself out of the bed, Teito grabbed Frau's blanket and threw it at the bishop before climbing back under the covers, his back towards the blond.

"What the hell was that for?" The bishop retorted as he threw the blanket to the ground and sat properly in the chair.

"I don't want your stupid blanket if it's going to cause you _soooo_ much trouble," Teito angrily mumbled towards the wall.

"If it was, why would I even bother giving it to you in the first place?"

"To get me to shut up, I know that's what you want to say."

"I was never going to say that."

"_Of course you weren't_! You're so damn predictable, Frau!"

"God, you're acting like some chick on her period."

Teito growled loudly and threw aside his blanket. He sat up abruptly and turned his head to glare at the bishop who glared right back.

"Well I'm fucking sorry you have to put up with my attitude! Like putting up with yours isn't difficult enough!"

"Oh, I have an attitude now? You're the one bitching about it being cold! You don't know the damn meaning of cold."

"Then tell me." Teito looked away briefly before turning his attention back to Frau. "Tell me what it's like to be cold."

There was a pause, a long pause. The furnace was the only thing creating any kind of noise while the two males continued to have their staring contest.

Frau was the one to break away first, cursing loudly as he slammed his book onto the ground beside his chair.

"I am not having this discussion with you."

"We made a deal, moron. Or has your tiny brain forgotten that piece of information already?"

"I'm not taking your shit anymore, brat," Frau pointed an accusing finger towards the brunet. "Stop talking to me as if I was one of your stupid little friends at the military academy. I am not your friend, nor am I anything close to it. At best, we are acquaintances; you will treat me with respect."

"I don't need to respect you at all!"

"I am your elder, fucking brat! Do you think I'm doing all of this for the sake of saving whatever relationship we have together? No! I'm doing this because you're too fucking stupid to do it for yourself!"

"I never asked you to do this for me! If it's such a damn burden, then let me go! If we're nothing but acquaintances, then you gain nothing by helping me. Nothing! My destruction will be on my hands, it will not on yours. No one ever told you that you needed to take care of me!

"When you fell head-long onto me in that damn canyon, someone was telling me to take care of you!"

"Then stop acting as if this is some chore for you!" The teen managed to shout before a choked sob fought its way out. A hand immediately flew over Teito's mouth as his eyes began to water. He looked down to his clenched fist, watching as water droplets crashed onto his trembling hand. He cursed himself repeatedly before throwing himself onto the bed. With his back turned towards Frau, Teito pulled his blanket over his head and prayed desperately that, for once, the Chief of Heaven would grant his wish and keep him from crying. He did not want to cry. He did not want to cry. Especially not in front of, or because of, Frau.

"I'm not taking this shit," Frau sighed.

The blond stood to his feet and grabbed his coat from over the headrest. After throwing it on, he grasped the recliner and flung it harshly onto the ground. He repeatedly slammed the door into the overturned chair before he managed to open it wide enough for him to slip outside.

Teito flinched as the door slammed shut.

"Fuck," the brunet mumbled as he turned to rest on his back. He draped an arm over his eyes and allowed the hot tears to stream down as they so wished. God was certainly a sadistic fucker who loved to see him miserable, the teen thought.

It appeared that his fantasies, any involving Frau, would remain just that. Maybe yesterday had just been a hallucination. Perhaps, the teen thought, he had dreamt it all up.

Teito shook his head. He didn't want it to be a dream though. Somehow, it had felt right. Scary, but…right. Was that how it was suppose to be? That thing Mikage would always talk about? Love. It hurt though, it hurt to care. And…it really did not seem worth it.

Determined, Teito threw aside his blanket and jumped out of bed. He ran to his bag and began to search through his clothing. He found a pair of slacks, socks, a long-sleeved shirt and a fuzzy coat. Taking off his sleepwear, Teito replaced it with the ones he had found. Next he pulled out a pair of gloves and a scarf. Holding the items in hand, Teito scavenged the floor for his boots. Finding them tucked away under the bed, he quickly slipped them on and, with trembling hands, laced them.

Why did he feel like he was doing something wrong?

Teito willed himself to take a deep breath and banish the thought. He was doing nothing wrong. He was merely running away from a stressful, and possibly dangerous, situation.

Slipping the gloves in place, Teito opened the door just a crack. He noticed that Frau's fresh footprints disappeared towards the snow-less road ahead, the man was no where to be seen. Being extra careful to step in Frau's footprints, Teito closed the door behind him.

As he followed the blond's tracks exactly in the white snow, he wrapped the scarf tightly around his neck and proceeded to fling the hood onto his head.

He was doing Frau a favor by leaving. Teito promised himself to never return to the Seventh District, or the Sixth District for that matter. He was doing them all a favor. It would be so easy for him to disappear into a crowd. No one would recognize him. No one would care.

x-x-x

Nicotine smoke, the greatest gift God bestowed upon mortal man. Mortal man or immortal ghost. The way it just fills the lungs, chokes the senses. It was so calming, tranquil. All unnecessary thought gets banished from existence, leaving only behind a numb state of awareness. And for Frau, having the ability the banish all conscious thought was a good thing.

Frau flicked his burned cigarette into the snow and drew another from a packet he had bought earlier. Cradling the stick between his lips, the blond struggled to bring his lighter to life. He continued to strike at the barrel but the stupid thing would not even spark.

"Stupid piece of shit." Frau crushed the item in hand, feeling the slight sting of pain as shards of plastic stabbed through his gloves and indent his flesh.

Hurling the useless contraption aside, Frau leaned back into the wooden bench he had been occupying since six cigarettes ago. A nice pile of snow had settled all around him and had it not been for his constant shifting, the blond realized he would have been buried under it. That would have been fine, he thought. It would take him too much energy, energy he didn't want to use up, to get up and move. It was too difficult to get up, too difficult to care.

He still couldn't understand why he had bolted from the motel room in the way he did. Like he was running away. He couldn't even understand why he was feeling angry. He shouldn't be feeling anything at all. That was the price a Ghost had to pay. That and so much more.

Frau closed his eyes and leaned his head backwards to stare at the overcast sky. He watched as tiny white snowflakes drifted down. They spiraled out of control and landed wherever the wind wanted them to. What a life.

A plump snowflake so happened to land just on the corner of his eye, and as it melted, it trickled down his cheek and neck until it could be absorbed by his coat. Frau sat up straight, his eyes on the ground before him. He reached up to the water streak and ran a gloved finger down part of its trail. Bringing his finger into view, he chuckled lackadaisically. With his other hand, he removed the unlit cigarette from his mouth and proceeded to grin.

_So that's what it feels like to have one of those run down your cheek._

He dropped his hand over his leg while he twirled the cancer stick between his other fingers. With his sights out to the abandoned park, unwanted thoughts began to surface. His nicotine high was vanishing, he was beginning to think.

Groaning lightly, Frau dropped his face into his open palms.

"I have to go back."

He scrubbed his face with both hands before realizing he was crushing his cigarette in the process. Frowning at the mess he had turned his little drug, he flicked it out to the snow before forcing himself to stand.

"I have to go back," he repeated, more to motivate himself than anything else.

As he trudged through the shin-deep snow, Frau made one thing clear to himself: he would stop pretending to be immune to everything and confront it. Especially the sore subject regarding his past.

x-x-x

It was like he was expecting the boy to be there. He was expecting the brat to forgive and forget, as if nothing had happened. Even now, as Frau stared into the empty room, he could picture the brunet sitting on the bed, arms and legs crossed, looking rightfully pissed. His lips would be dipped down into a frown, dimpling. His eyes would be glaring through half-open lids because the brat always believed that it made him appear more menacing. It didn't, it really didn't. It just made someone want to piss him off more because the facial expressions he made were…well, charming. And that permanent bed-head the boy seemed to have would brush just over his eyes, making them appear darker. That part, Frau never liked. He liked it when the teen was forced to look up at him, especially during daylight hours. It was only natural light that did this, not light bulbs or candles or lanterns or anything of the sort. When the light hit Teito's emerald eyes _juuuust_ right, they shimmered with odd specks of blue and red. It was strange but it never ceased to fascinate the bishop.

Frau sighed out loud. He was falling. Falling into that unforgiving pit that he thought would never swallow him again. Everything was making sense now. His unquestionable need to protect the teen from harm, the need to be a part of the stupid brat's life. The fact that he couldn't _not_ be a part of the brat's life. (Destiny and all that crap.) The fact that he felt utterly confused whenever they approached any subject regarding their relationship (acquaintances, friends?), and also his illogical anger towards those episodes. When had he fallen? Better yet, _when did he turn gay_?

The blond turned in spot and banged his head, repeatedly, against the doorframe.

He wasn't gay. He had this discussion with himself before. [1] He. Was not. A. Homo.

End of story. Period. Done. Complete. Finished. Terminado. Fin. Punto y Punto.

Fuck.

_That's right Frau_, he thought bitterly, _you are so fucking screwed over_.

Still, Frau did not swing that way. He detested men. They were tough and brawny, and always smelled rather strange. Women, on the other hand, were soft and curvy. Thin. With sleek hair that was too tempting to keep your hands out of. Their skin always looked so delicate, making one want to be as careful as they possibly could but also wanting to bruise that skin. Wanting to see how much rigorous activity they could handle before they broke out screaming, crying for more.

Then an image of Teito flashed across his mind. Teito wasn't brawny, or tough for that matter; he only thought he was. And the boy certainly didn't have the overpowering smell of cologne as some men do to hide their sweating problems. He (used to) smell oddly like flowers and grass, probably from his daily naps in the church's gardens. Except for the lack of cleavage and the extra appendage, Teito was rather…feminine, to an extent.

With more force, Frau banged his head on the frozen slab of wood.

Why did he suddenly develop the feeling to hide under the bed, curl up into a tight ball and cry himself to sleep? Oh, he knew why. HE WAS A PEDOPHILE! Teito was, roughly, eight years his junior. During that time, Frau could comprehend half the musings of the world when the only form of communication Teito could have with others was through crying! There was definitely something wrong with that. Something terribly, terribly wrong.

How could he be in the middle when he didn't even remember the beginning? It would have been nice if he was warned before hand, not allowed to blindly walk towards that stupid hole none-the-wiser. The blond could admit, at times, he was a bit dense when it came to subjects he had very little interest in but did that allow others to watch, amused, as he made a total ass of himself?

Castor…

That man always knew everything. Frau made a hefty wager with himself that the puppeteer knew about this from the start and purposefully avoided telling him because it would be 'amusing'. Someone was getting slapped when all this was done with. Better yet, someone was getting thrown into the canal while they slept, _still in their nailed-shut coffin_.

The simple pleasures of a Basburg bishop.

It still did not solve the problem he was currently facing, here and now.

"I hate my life!" He shouted before slamming the motel door shut.

He turned back to the outside world and followed the path he had carved earlier through the snow until he reached the manager's office.

The dude had alcohol. Frau knew it.

x-x-x

The town had been simple to arrive to; it was the getting around part that proved to be a bit difficult. The roads were snow free, thanks to a constant snowplow running rampant through the streets. The difficultly lay in the fact that the sidewalks were all iced-over. Teito's boots were hardly made to trek through slick surfaces. He had to constantly grab onto something to keep himself from falling: lamp posts, signs, vending machines, newspaper stands. It was a very humiliating thing, and he knew he had captivated half the townspeople's eyes as they made their way, without difficulty, to wherever it was they were going.

Thankfully, though, Teito could blame his red face on the chilly cold air.

As he began preparing himself with the task of crossing the street, he set one foot on the icy pavement, then the other and finally released the stop sign he had taken captive. Steadily, he walked about halfway across the street when that slip he was expecting happened. His foot flew upward causing the rest of him to fly backwards.

Expecting the pain and humiliation that was certain to come, Teito was surprised when he fell into something warm and soft. His eyes drifted upward and caught onto sharp auburn eyes trimmed with dark, long eyelashes belonging to a young man. As he smiled down at Teito, his eyes closed and formed into cute little arcs. It appeared that only Humiliation would appear by Teito's side for now.

Knowing he was probably turning redder, Teito quickly mumbled a _'thanks'_ as he began to make the attempt at walking the rest of the crosswalk.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," the young man linked his arm around Teito's, giving the brunet no choice but to follow.

"The name's Lance," he smiled down to Teito, his eyes making that unique little arch again once the two males made it to the opposite sidewalk.

Teito thought for a moment what he should do in a situation like this. The guy _had_ kept Teito from falling onto the slick streets. But on the other hand, why had he gone so far as to help him across the street? Had Teito been a girl, he could understand; the guy was looking for an easy date. But Teito _wasn't_ a girl; unless the guy _mistook_ him for one. Everything was suddenly awkward. The proximity and the young man's smiles. They just seemed to scream out: 'I-am-flirting-with-you'.

Thinking that his real name might not be enough to say 'I-am-male', Teito went with the name that had become his second persona.

"Mikage."

"Nice to meet you, Mikage. Listen," the male's lightly wind-bitten cheeks took on darker color as he suddenly appeared nervous, maybe even shy, "I – I honestly don't do this, at all, but can I interest you in a cup of cocoa?"

"…cocoa?" Teito raised an eyebrow, not understanding what was happening.

"Y-yeah. Y-you know, with me?"

'…_oh…OH! No, no, no, no.'_

Teito smiled awkwardly, tugging lightly on his arm until Lance released him.

"U-um th-thanks for the offer but, um, I have somewhere to be and-."

"Oh!" The male blushed deeply; he almost looked years younger. "N-no. My bad, my bad. You, uh, I just assumed you might be, um, you know, because of your appearance-."

"What's wrong with my appearance," Teito retaliated before he thought better of it.

The auburn-eyed male raised his hands in defense, his awkward smile exposing a small fang. "N-nothing at all! It's just, um, you just seem to come off as a…" he trailed off, not wanting to finish his sentence.

Teito fixed his glare on this unknown character, arms folded across his chest, prompting the boy to continue with his facial expression alone.

"W-well," the male swallowed hard, tugging at his scarf as if it was cutting off his oxygen. "As a… Look, can I just, I dunno, run away now? This has gotten very awkward and I'm real sorry for insulting you in any way."

Teito kept his sight on Lance, somehow compelled to do something stupid once he realized he really had no place to go. And if this guy knew of a coffee house somewhere, it was more than likely Teito could stay there, nice and warm, well into the night, giving him the cover of darkness to break in somewhere so he could sleep. Then once morning came, he could find a way out of Winter Wonderland and disappear for good.

"You know, you really did insult me," Teito gave one final glare before slipping his arm around Lance's again, pressing close to him. "You can buy me some hot chocolate and I'll let it slide." To add to his 'embarrassed' (which he was) appearance, Teito raised his scarf over his nose as if he was hiding a blush (which he was).

Beside him, Lance chuckled lightly and gave, what seemed, a sigh of relief. He directed the shorter male down the street toward a nice café he knew about.

"So you new around here?" Lance asked as a means to make friendly conversation.

"What ever gave me away?" Teito bantered playfully, hoping to sucker two, maybe even three, hot anything from the guy. The hot chocolate was sounding rather good, his stomach not having eaten for a good week now.

"Most people around here invest in thick soled shoes."

Teito couldn't stop himself from laughing quietly at that.

"So, did you really need to be somewhere or was that just a way to get rid of me?"

Teito winced as that was brought up. He didn't know how to respond so said whatever came to his mind.

"Well, I did have someplace I needed to be…" he paused, realizing how true that fragment seemed to be. The teen _did_ have a place he needed to be at, but he just couldn't stand being there anymore than he knew Frau did. "But I don't think he'll notice I'm gone."

It hurt to say it vocally. It hurt even more to know that it was almost certainly true.

Without saying a word, Lance raised his free hand towards the small brunet beside him and brushed away the crystallizing saltwater from the corner of his eye. A bit startled, Teito turned to this stranger beside him and was even more surprised to see such a warm, caring, understanding smile. A dimpled smile that crinkled this stranger's wind-bitten cheeks, a smile that even reached those warm-burning auburn eyes.

Teito tilted the corner of his mouth up, a 'thank you' that didn't need to be said.

Lance's eyes arched pleasantly again before he turned to look in the direction they were walking in.

"Why you would ever come _here_ for vacation is beyond me," he shook his head playfully, looking to the smaller male from the corner of his eye.

"Oh you know," Teito ran a fisted hand over his eyes, "somehow the idea of freezing sounded rather exciting."

"You know what else is exciting?"

Teito turned to look up at the taller male; his eyes did all the questioning without him having to bother to open his mouth.

Lance smirked as he lowered himself towards Teito, lifting his hood slightly with his free hand as he placed his lips just millimeters from the brunet's ear.

"Wrestling with bears."

Teito immediately pulled away, a shiver running down his spine, but he easily played it off with a smirk of his own. "You're lying," he challenged, thankful that Lance didn't look sour for him having pulled away.

Instead, the older male shrugged, looking awfully smug. "Believe me or not, but I did kick that bear's ass." He looked to Teito from the corner of his eye and saw the brunet roll his eyes. With a grin, he continued, "okay, maybe I didn't kick the bear's ass but I certainly gave him some bruises."

"And how many did he give you?"

"Like…_none_!"

"Let me rephrase that," Teito's smirk stayed in place. "How many _injuries_ did that bear give you?"

Biting his lip, he looked towards the shops to his immediate left. Completely ignoring Teito's question, he pointed to a store just at the corner of the street. "Look! There's the café!"

"Hey! Don't change the subject! He beat you up, didn't he?"

"CatHouse Café. Why do they give it such a weird name?"

"He beat you up," Teito concluded with himself, sure that Lance had too much 'manly' pride to admit to it. Though it seemed rather stupid to keep up with the hoax. Who could honestly take down a bear?

"," Lance said in a rush, completely baffling Teito.

"What?"

"I," he placed his free hand over his chest, looking playfully offended, "do not like repeating myself. If you didn't catch it, I won't tell you."

"All I understood was fifteen stitches and something broken ribs."

"Well then, you get the gist of it. Come on, let's get inside. I'm freezing." Lance opened the door for Teito, shivering slightly as he waited for the brunet to walk inside before he followed after.

Teito slipped off his hood and shivered as the pleasantly warm place began to thaw him out. Coming up from behind, Lance placed his hands on the brunet's shoulders and steered him towards some empty tables.

"Cool, I wanna sit in one of those." Teito pointed toward some beanbags thrown off into an isolated corner. Laughing slightly, Lance steered Teito in that direction.

Once arriving, Teito picked the biggest beanbag from the heap and settled nicely into it. He shifted slightly before sitting up and deciding that his oversized coat was turning out to be a bother. He stripped it off, hung it on the corner of a bookshelf behind him and proceeded to remove his gloves.

"So what can I get you kids today?"

Both turned to find a dark-haired waiter, pen and paper in hand, standing just at a side of Lance, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

"Fuck off, Luke," Lance smacked the waiter's chest with the back of his hand, earning a huge grin from the man.

Teito raised an eyebrow at the exchange. Either they knew each other or Lance came by often.

Seeing Teito's puzzled face, Lance smiled and stuck his thumb towards the man beside him. "This here's Luke, buddy since grade school." Luke gave a curt nod and a wink, his hazel eyes playful. "Luke, this is Mikage. Saved him from getting his head bashed into the cement."

"Now that sounds like someone embellished the story a bit," Luke smirked, nudging his friend with his elbow.

"No," Teito sighed, placing his chin on his propped arm. "That sounds about right."

"So Sir Lancelot saved you, I'm impressed," Luke nodded his head, actually looking impressed.

"Why's that?" Teito asked, tilting his head off to one side.

Easily dodging the grab his friend made at him, Luke threw himself towards the ground, resting his head on part of Teito's beanbag. He smirked towards Lance, who had turned his back to them.

"This guy is about the shyest person I know. He's already nineteen and he has only gone so far as-." A snow-flaked jacket was thrown to Luke, effectively cutting him mid-word for all of two seconds. "First Base."

"I'm sorry I'm not like you, Luke," Lance blushed deep red, "who sleeps with anything with two legs and a pulse."

"That's only if I'm drunk enough," he stated as if it was obvious fact. Turning his attention towards Teito, he said, "The more, the merrier, right?"

Teito laughed nervously. "Wouldn't know."

"Go do your job, Luke. Otherwise you'll get fired again," Lance turned his seemingly red eyes onto his friend.

"Then I'll just sleep with the owner again," he smirked.

"She's forty! Twice your age!"

Teito gave a low whistle, earning a laugh from the body near him.

"You see old and used, Lancelot, but I see well-experienced."

"Just go do your job," Lance pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fine, fine." With a grunt, Luke was on his feet, straightening the black apron around his waist and had pen and paper back in hand once he finished. "What can I get for you two gentlemen this fine day?"

"Green tea for me," Lance replied as he uncurled his scarf from around his neck.

"Um, a hot chocolate for me, please."

"I'll throw in chocolate muffin and some cookies for ya," the dark-haired waiter winked towards Teito. "Heard your stomach growling back there. Besides, Lancelot here is treating you, right? Take advantage of it!" He slapped his friend's back with a bit more force than necessary, almost knocking Lance forward, before walking back to the counter to fill out his order.

"Heh. Sorry about that," Lance scratched the back of his head as he sat himself across from Teito. Realizing he still had his beanie on, he pulled it off and ruffled his dirty blond hair to bring it out of its odd shape.

"You look like you just walked out of bed," Teito gave a short laugh once the blond had finished with the task.

"With or without my help, my hair always looks like that," Lance smiled as he twisted his beanie in hand, unsure of how to carry out the conversation.

"Have you really not done this before?"

A bit startled by the question, Lance directed his auburn eyes towards Teito, seeing the boy oddly surprised. He gave a nervous laugh, further abusing his beanie.

"N-not really. I tend to be the 'good friend' with girls."

"So you switched teams?" Teito had to admit, seeing someone squirm and turn frightfully red was amusing, when it wasn't himself.

"I-I guess you could say that. W-well, I-, um…"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Whatever he saw in Teito's expression, Lance gave a sigh and smiled warmly, smoothing out his abused beanie.

"It's just, I've never told anyone. And to tell a random stranger…?"

"Sometimes, I think, it's easier to confide with a stranger. They don't know the kind of person you are, or used to be, so they judge a lot less, unless you did something horribly wrong like kill a person," Teito chuckled lightly.

"No, no. Never did anything like that," Lance kept his smile, eyes on Teito.

"So, you know, if you want to talk, I'll listen. You are treating me to a hot chocolate, and apparently some cookies and a chocolate muffin."

"Fucking Luke," the blond shook his head lightly though the smile was still on his face. "He's harmless, really."

"He seems like a good friend. And for you two to have known each other since grade school? Geez, that's a long time."

"It can't be _that _long. I mean, who's the longest friend you've had?"

"M-mmm," quick to recover, Teito turned his old friend's name into a soft hum, as if he was still thinking about it. He didn't need that time, however. There was only one real person he could call friend. "His name…his name was Teito."

"_Was?_"

"Y-yeah," Teito looked down to his hands, guilt weighing heavily on his chest. "He, umm, he died. I, I only knew him for a year or so, when I transferred to his school."

"I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" Teito forced a smile on his face, knowing full well how false it might have looked but Lance returned it with a smile of his own.

"Seems like he was a good friend," the blond added softly, his auburn eyes soft like molten gold.

Teito didn't reply, instead nodded, thankful that Luke arrived with their order just a second later. Teito hid a smile behind his cup of steaming hot chocolate as he watched Lance and Luke bicker. Something about the tip not being 15% of the bill. They were arguing but not fighting. Teito never thought that was even possible. Whenever he argued with anyone, especially Frau, it just felt like they were attacking him and, of course, Teito attacked right back. But there was a clear example before him, of two friends.

"Damn bastard," Lance glared off to Luke, who was returning to his station looking rather triumphant. "He works here but he still mooches off of me. He bought himself a sandwich with my money and still expected me to tip him!"

"His service was rather fast." Teito sipped from his chocolate. The flavor danced a bit bland on his palate and he found himself frowning into his cup.

"Something wrong with your drink?"

"Taste it." Teito presented his cup to the blond, his frown still in place. He watched as Lance took it and tried it, licking his lips as warm whipped cream clung to them.

"Tastes pretty good."

Teito took it back and tried again but still, it was as if he was drinking hot water. Still frowning, he set his cup aside and picked up the muffin. He tore off a piece and chewed it thoroughly before swallowing it. Bland, flavorless. Next, he tried the cookies but received the same flavor: nothing.

With a sigh, he slumped against his beanbag chair. Though his stomach was growling to eat, he had no appetite for the food in front of him. He would have to force himself to eat something; he was already beginning to feel the wear of malnutrition. Then a thought hit him: the drugs. Could they really have affected even his sense of taste? Somehow, Teito thought it likely.

"That's probably it…" he mumbled as he stared longingly at his food.

"What is?"

Forgetting all about Lance, Teito turned to find the blond's auburn eyes looking at him, filled with concern. Teito shrugged his shoulders and picked up the muffin again. He would have to force himself to eat it; he was running on the lingering effects of the drugs and once that was gone, he very well didn't know but knew it was something bad.

"It's just… Can I tell you something, and you promise not to tell anyone?"

Teito began yelling at himself mentally. What did he honestly think he was doing? Before, when he had told Lance that confiding in a stranger was simpler than a friend, he was only saying that because, then, it had only been about the blond's stupid sexuality. But now a part of him, whichever part, wanted to confine with this stranger about his month of indulgence. The other part of him was telling Teito that it was a _very bad idea_. He didn't know this character, didn't know him at all. But his soft auburn eyes, the silly way he talked and the fact that he stuttered and blushed at the simplest of things like a young girl, Teito couldn't see how bad this person could be. Perhaps he found the one person in the world that was just nice. No hidden agenda, nothing. Just honestly nice.

"Of course, Mikage" Lance replied without hesitation. He took his cup and scooted closer to Teito, sitting beside him with only a lump of beanbag separating them.

And that was how Teito spilled everything. He talked about Scarlett; about his first introduction to drugs and how that spiraled out of control and had led him to sell himself for more drugs. Half of the time, he went to the Club high off his mind. He confessed that his boss, Seth, had been rather obsessed with him. In the beginning, the man had been pleasant enough but soon his true colors shown. Teito was forced to…'perform' for the man if he wanted his salary.

Teito screwed his eyes shut, hand over them, as he remembered one day the man had snapped and beat Teito with a metallic paperweight the man had on his desk. That night, Teito couldn't go 'home' for fear of what everyone might say to his nastily swollen face. Teito was compensated for that though, a bag full of drugs. And sadly enough, that had kept Teito quiet. Kept him from ever uttering a word.

Teito leaned forward and wrapped his arms tightly around his legs, hiding his face from view.

He confessed that had it not been for…his 'father' banning him from ever leaving the house, Teito would have gone back. Without a second thought, he would have gone back. If he sold himself to his customers, why not his boss too? He didn't like it, he didn't like any of it, but if it was for his next fix, he would do it.

"…Are you still, um, you know, addicted?" Lance finally asked, having remained silent as the brunet poured out his heart and soul. He had captured one of Teito's hands in his own and was gently stroking the back of it with his thumb.

"I…I don't know. I've been sober for roughly a week now and I've pretty much gotten over my first initial craze." Teito rested his head on his knee to look at the male beside him. Lance kept his sights on Teito's hand, stroking it with such gentleness that Teito almost wanted to cry right then and there. _Almost_.

"I've come to realize something," he spoke after a few minutes of uninterrupted silence.

"What's that?" Lance didn't look up but gave a faint smile as if reassuring the brunet that he was listening.

"I think I have a blond fetish."

The older male suppressed a laugh, turning his auburn eyes towards Teito from under his shaggy blond locks.

"No, I'm serious," Teito persisted, finally lifting his head from his knees.

"Oh really, why is that then?"

"Well, first, Scarlett, she was blond. That guy, Seth, he was blond too. And-," he was about to say Frau but remembered he had referred to the man as his 'father' and that would have been a rather strange thing to say, even though Lance knew nothing _of_ Frau, so he brought up the next name that came to mind, "and _Labrador_, son of my dad's friend, is blond too…and…Teito was blond too."

"I do believe you forgot one person on that list!" Lance ruffled his own hair, earning a laugh from the brunet.

"Sorry, sorry, _you_ too," Teito rolled his eyes. "And, well, they all had blue eyes too. Well except for you and m, um, Teito."

"Maybe you do have a fetish," the blond nodded, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Whatever. I'll get over it, watch."

"So does that ruin my chances?"

Teito grinned slightly, "kinda. You should just give up."

"But I never even started!" Lance pouted before he easily slipped on a smile as Teito laughed quietly. He turned his sights back to the brunet's hand, running his finger along the slightly darker and smoother skin: scars. If what he was just told was only the brunet's life in the past month, he wondered what the rest of it was like.

"Um, this might seem a bit forward of me but, um, do you have a place to sleep tonight?"

Teito raised an eyebrow, regarding the blond. "Well, no…not really," he confessed.

"D-don't think I'm weird or something for offering but, it's just, you seem pretty nice and I just, um, I just want to help," his pale face was taking on a bright red color, looking completely childish. "I-I-I have an extra room, in-in my apartment. W-well it used to belong to my parents but they moved to warmer climates and they placed my name on the rent so now its mine. I stole their room since it's bigger but you can use my old room, I have a bed in there and everything. Luke sometimes comes over, when he's too drunk to remember where he lives, and uses it but he can always sleep on the couch if he decides to do that toni-."

"Sure," the corner of Teito's mouth lifted into a half-smile, interrupting the obviously flustered blond.

"-ght. Oh," realizing the brunet had accepted, he broke into a smile, "we'll th-that's good then. We can leave whenever you want."

"Let's go when it gets a bit darker. I really like this beanbag chair."

Teito settled deeper into the chair, content to stay there the rest of the day, which held another five hours of daylight. Until night arrived, they spent their time talking about anything and everything in their lives, Teito had to manipulate his to prevent Lance from finding out a few things:

Teito's real name

He used to be a slave for most of his life

He used to kill people

He could control Zaphion (Or at least used to)

He used to belonged to the military but deserted

He is involved with the clergy

He knows about the clergy's secret

It was his fault that his best friend died

The most terrifying man in the military wants him (probably dead)

He was the son of the Ruler of Raggs

He is the carrier of the Eye of Mikhail

But most importantly: Teito was stupidly "in like" with his "father". Lance didn't need to know about Frau. Not his name or anything.

Basically, he had to pretend to be someone else. Seeing that he stole Mikage's name, he might as well use his best friend's life as well. So Teito did that, guilt sitting in the pit of his stomach where the flavorless food he had forced down rested.

He wanted to throw up.

For what, exactly, he wasn't sure. Teito just knew that he wanted to vomit.

x-x-x

An entire day.

Teito had, well, hoped that it wouldn't have passed, but an entire day passed without sight or word from the only blond he seemed to care about aside from his deceased best friend.

But what more could he expect? Frau had been the one to walk out, Teito just followed his example. Did anyone expect more? Teito couldn't very well stay in such an unstable environment. Especially when an unstable caretaker could break his neck with a simple twist.

Frau's unprompted rage could not be ignored. One second he was all for helping the teen, the next he seemed close to slaughter. Teito could hardly handle that anymore, how could anyone? But still, there was a part of him that would forgive if asked. If Frau would admit that he was just as unstable as Teito.

He had never thought it possible, to fall for a perverted bishop. But thought logically, Frau had been there through all his ups and downs – many, many downs – with a welcoming embrace and sweet, meaningless words. Anyone in Teito's position, anyone brought up in the life he had been, would have at least grown depended on that person that easily showed them love, whether knowingly or not. Teito had just taken it a step forward. He was imagining things that couldn't be. That shouldn't be.

Though Teito had seen his share of the ugliness the world could be, he had seen that at such a young age, it was all he knew, it was who he was. He killed innocent people, he slaughtered without the tiniest hint of vacillation. When his commanding officer said to eradicate, he never questioned why. He ran rampant into the battlefield, using his hands if he had been given no weapon. He was a highly trained, emotionless machine. And he had expected to stay like that. But then Mikage happened. He learned to care for someone and when that someone was snatched away, the dam that held all his unstable emotions burst and he became a slave to them.

He hardly had a decent childhood. He was never allowed to act spoiled, never allowed to run into his mother's arms whenever he was frightened. So, god forbid, he found someone strong enough to carry him through the rest of his shit stain of a life. That was all he wanted, to be taken care of. Teito knew, as a member of the male species, that was not his role. He was supposed to be the strong one, the one to take in and protect a fragile girl, not be the girl that needed to be saved. But he honestly didn't care at this point. Drugs were his only escape, the only way he could _pretend_ to be this strong, tough, confident person that took what they wanted and were not scared of anything.

Like Frau.

But even now, he no longer had that escape. It seemed his place was at the side of a more self-assured, strong-hearted male. Somehow he doubted he would find a woman he would like, considering he had met too many during his days as a host. All they could do was take, take, take. Teito had nothing left to take. Teito never had anything to begin with. He had received some compassion and friendship from Mikage but he had stolen that back when he abandoned Teito and left him to starve in the cold world. Now all that was left was a screwed up version of love that Frau had so callously and unknowingly forced upon him. If anything, Teito wished he had never received it.

"Should've ran away…," Teito gave a faint sigh, thinking that if he never let Frau force himself into his life, then none of this would have happened.

Teito could have easily fallen into the group of unwanted orphans in the church before he was old enough to set out on his own. But, of course, _destiny_ would not allow that. Frau _had_ forced his way in, deep into the black hole that had threatened to swallow Teito whole and almost succeeded if the stupid blond had not acted based on his own selfish reasons. Teito could have easily lived in mindless bliss, unaware to the world revolving around him.

But, of course not. Frau had to force his way in. Frau had to latch on and survive storm after storm after storm until Teito just no longer possessed the will to fight. Now look at him, in the house of a complete stranger, using this stranger's clothes as he stared blankly at the glow-in-the-dark star filled ceiling.

How easy it was to blame everything on Frau, to hate the man with a burning passion, to wish him the foulest of deaths but that did not change the fact that Teito cared. He hated what he had become, hated how he couldn't understand it. How could he care about someone and yet loath their very existence at the same time?

All he wanted was acceptance.

All he wanted was to be held.

Even if it meant he would search for it in a complete stranger.

Lance had offered the room to Teito to use as he deemed worthy. He could stay as long as he wanted, he could leave when he was ready. A safe, warm place to sleep, away from the watchful sapphire blue eyes of the ghost that haunted Teito's every waking moment. How many times had he blinked wearily in the dim hours of the morning to catch sight of those calculating, dissecting blue eyes, watching, waiting for Teito to give the ammunition needed to convince him that he had a problem?

Teito did not want it to be a chore; he wanted Frau to help because that was what _he_ wanted to do. He wanted to see Teito safe, out of harms way. Not because Teito would cause him trouble.

If that was the case, he should have just dumped Teito into a sack and tossed him into the river like a stray cat.

Then a thought struck him. What if Frau had done just that? Not literally, of course, but what if Frau had just flung him into the Second District to drown? Perhaps the reason he had not seen the blond was because the blond was not looking for Teito. Perhaps he was making up excuses for Castor as he drove back to the Seventh District.

_He ran away._

_We were ambushed and he was killed._

_Ayanami found us and stole him back._

_He just couldn't make it._

Teito suppressed the urge to shed tears. So what if Frau didn't want him? Teito didn't need him. The man was repulsive, annoying and…_stupid_. He was a disgrace to the bishop name and would give Teito the greatest pleasure of leaving him alone.

Who wanted a man like Frau anyway?

_Pompous idiot can go screw himself, _he thought bitterly as he brought the blanket sagging on his hips over his cold shoulders, turning onto his side so he didn't have to look at those stupid stars anymore.

Finally, Teito could start over a new life and just be a normal kid. He could get a job, enroll in school and be fine with that. Live a normal life, away from the supernatural.

With the promise of pancakes waiting for him in the morning, Teito began drifting off to sleep, his mind somehow still alert though his body was sluggish and his eyelids weighed like twin tons of lead. He was close to unconsciousness when a soft groan of wood jerked him half-awake. There was no noise to follow that last sound so Teito assumed it was the building settling in on itself.

He was close to sleep again, his eyelids too heavy to hold up anymore. He allowed his drowsiness to win only to be sharply brought to life when a sickly sweet-scented rag was forcefully covered over both his nose and mouth. The fumes immediately raced through Teito's nose when he had gasped involuntarily. He struggled against it but found his muscles were already sluggish in the span of five seconds. He was forced on his back, someone heavy taking a seat on his abdomen. He blinked tired eyes, trying to focus them on the outlined figure looking down to him. That rag was still pressed close, Teito's arms having been pinned onto his chest by a relentless grip. Teito had been given no clear alternative but to breathe in the toxic fumes, which quickly enacted the work of putting him to sleep.

"I just want to help…"

Even in his lousy state, Teito recognized that voice and placed a face to that lump of black shadow.

"I just want to help you, Teito-kun," Lance grinned, his seemingly red eyes almost glowing in the minimal light. The childish innocence in his eyes was gone. This was not the person Teito knew.

Not the person he had so blindly trusted.

"Go to sleep," his voice was a soft caress and Teito soon found himself falling into slumber even as his mind screamed to be paid attention to, screamed at his limbs to struggle and thrash but it was no use. His mind and limbs were not connected, and Teito just really, really wanted to sleep.

* * *

[1] Yes, he did have this discussion with himself before. But the story didn't start then so you weren't there to hear it :) You'll hear it eventually. (If I remember.)

**A/N: I think Teito just has bad luck. **


	9. Day 7: OneMan Drinking Games

**Chapter Nine**

**Day 7: One-Man Drinking Games**

Frau stared blankly at the ceiling, unwanted thoughts running through his mind. No matter how much alcohol he consumed – drink, after drink, after drink – his conscious mind remained in tact and operational. He never thought this possible, even with his lack of credentials for this certain 'science', but he had enough experience to make up for it. He should have been in an alcohol-induced fog, mind long gone in either a deep meaningless trance, or heavy sleep. The strong liquor should have warmed him; he should have felt that drowsy, light feeling that made the hangovers in the morning worth it.

However, he felt cold and miserable. Suppressed emotions clogged his throat, making his drinking difficult and painful. Frau was no longer enjoying his one-man drinking game.

At first, he had laughed heartily when he returned to his room with five bottles of liquor, whiskey to be precise. The first bottle went down nicely, warming him from head to toe for all but a moment before a faint knock on the door had caused something in his chest to constrict painfully. He had dropped everything and rushed to his feet, knocking over the second bottle in the process. With more enthusiasm and expectancy than Frau would ever be willing to admit, he had swung open the door, only to realize that he had no idea what he would do if it was Teito on the other side.

Should he yell, scold him for leaving? Pretend to be indifferent, as if Frau had never been waiting around for him? Or should he show relief, a kind smile to show the teen that he was at least thankful that the boy had enough sense to come back?

Luckily (depending on what side one's looking from), Frau did not have to deal with that certain situation.

A small pile of snow cascaded into the room, the harsh bitter wind howling viciously to be allowed inside the cavern of a room.

There was nothing outside. Not a living soul.

The world seemed lonely.

Frowning, Frau closed the door and proceeded to the malfunctioning heater. He played with it, turning the knobs, but, even with a swift smack of his fist, it still refrained from turning on the warming unit for the room. He would have to depend on more alcohol to warm everything, from his layers of skin to the marrow in his bones.

But, now, well into his fourth bottle, the warmth was not coming back. He was sprawled on the ground, using the bed as a backrest and his coat as his only protection against the cold. The empty bottles lay at his feet, forgotten and dry. Growling, Frau lowered his head to stare mindlessly at the wall before him: shoulders slumping, and half-filled bottle of whiskey rolling away as his hand slowly opened. It just didn't satisfy anymore, it didn't give him that pleasant feel he had come to associate with it. It was painful to drink, even more painful to have it sit in his stomach.

It caused foul memories, dreams, and fantasies that had no chance of ever becoming real to play in his mind. Frau was at a complete loss of what he truly wanted, and the whiskey had made him see that. The clergyman had thought he wanted the drink but, in truth, he only wanted it to keep himself from really thinking the question over, from really putting thought into that taboo of wishing. Now it left the question: had it always been like this?

Frau was certain that his drinking had never had anything to do with his emotions. He drank because he wanted to, not because he was using the alcohol as a remedy for life. His drinking was "social", in a way. He could start when he wanted to and end just as quickly. Or, that was what he had always believed. But as he stared at the empty bottles, he was beginning to doubt.

Had he ever truly faced a problem directly instead of searching for the easy way out?

"Tch." Frau grinded his teeth, turning his grim glare to the only exit in his miserable cave. "…you can't just…fucking do…as you very well please," he muttered, his fingers testing the ground for sign of a nearby object. The tip of his middle finger bumped into hard glass, and in the flash of an instant, Frau grasped the bottle's neck, stood to his feet, and flung the item towards the door.

It exploded with a sharp sound, the remnants bursting outwards and falling into the carpet in a shower of glass and amber liquid. Stray pieces of glass clung to the door with the aid of the whiskey, sliding towards the ground in such a delicate manner that it infuriated the blond. He clenched his fists, the material of his gloves giving a faint crackling noise at the friction. His shoulders shook with suppressed rage – a terrible thing that he was finding difficulty controlling.

"There is a limit…to everything." Frau's voice slowly increased – the anger inside him on the verge of bursting. His eyes darted to the ground, and he quickly picked up one of the empty whiskey bottles.

"You can't fuck around with someone's life!" he shouted, throwing the glass forcefully towards the wooden door. As with the other, it equally shattered into a million pieces, all trickling and disappearing into the carpet. Unsatisfied, Frau picked up the two remaining empty bottles and flung them, one after the other. When throwing the second, the blond was not paying close attention to his mark, missing the door by a foot, and instead watched as the thick glass indented into the drywall, crumbling part of the wall and taking it along onto the overturned recliner.

He advanced towards the piece of furniture, and grasped it tightly as he, slowly, began to lift it off the ground. With a grunt, he kept the steel-framed recliner in air before throwing it towards the wooden door. The two items crashed violently together. The door rattled, along with the wall, and successfully knocked it off its top hinges. The back of the chair hung on limply onto the rest by the fabric connecting them together, though it would have been impossible to notice as much since the item was currently laying on its side, appearing to be in decent shape.

But that was not enough for Frau. His burning gaze flickered across the room and landed on the only light brightening up the small room. It was a simple lamp: tall and skinny with a bowl-shaped top that hid the light bulb. The light had always annoyed him. Searching the ground for an item to throw (because he was too tightly wound to move at the moment just for a _lamp_), Frau took his last bottle of whisky, still sealed tight to keep the liquid strong and flavorful, and threw it towards the standing item. The twin glass items crashed, sending the stand towards the wall and shattering the bowl and bottle equally. It ricochet off the wall and landed to the ground with a violent spark before it flickered on and off, flammable alcohol staining the carpet around it.

Darkness drowned the room more often than light, and this only caused Frau to grow even more infuriated. Granted, he had caused that mishap to happen but, for now, he was far from being rational. His attention flew towards the bed behind him. He did not pause for a moment, instead instantly grasped the edge of the bed and flung it so the headrest flew forward and crashed into the opposing wall. The frame held itself up while the mattress and sheets dumped onto the floor, unable to support themselves.

Frau kicked down onto the wooden planks, breaking a few though it entrapped his foot. He forced it out and stared at the scene he had just created.

The bishop's breathing was heavy and forcefully controlled, taking in the bitter air that irritably scratched his sore throat. He didn't know what to do. Frau did not know how to control the psychotic urge to dismantle and slaughter. His hands fisted and closed, wanting to rip something apart, preferably something living. Something that would writhe and scream. Something that could cry and beg for mercy. He wanted to be able to control someone's life just as easily as someone was currently controlling his. The destruction of the room was not enough.

From his point of view, Frau had never been anything more than a game piece on some chess set, playing by some twisted rules invented by some sadistic fucker who found pleasure in torturing innocent people. Frau knew he was far from being innocent, of course he knew. More or less, he had devoted himself of a life of 'good'. He was doing the work of God, helping those who had too much shame to help themselves. And yet, he was being punished for it. He was being torn apart – all his strengths and masks – and left vulnerable for the world to poke and prod, to accuse and disgrace. He was force to take upon so much sin, so many foul souls, so they could live a life with the Chief of Heaven, content and safe from the harsh dark world that awaited the sinners and the damned.

One day, Frau would join those in that deep dark pit. Screaming in agony alongside the wicked. Because, in truth, he was sin. He was a part of the darkest of evil. It had tainted his blood long ago, and now it was one with him. The boy he used to be had long ago died. He couldn't even remember who he used to be before the "incident". Before he had locked eyes with empty sockets, before he learned that skulls could grin. His body was no longer his. He was a vessel for a sinful creature that followed the Law of God. There was no promise of eternal peace for his kind. Only torment and abuse until his human body could no longer house his or the Ghost's soul.

Frau was on borrowed time with an unavoidable future.

So why was he trying to fulfill the work of God? It didn't make sense. Every other Ghost seemed to have a strong impulse to follow God's word as if it was instinct. Frau, Zehel, was different.

He had changed when he was given _that_. The weapon of Death. Another part of a bitter evil. And with each soul he cured, their tainted blood stained his. If anything, he was more sinful than the original God of Death, his father, _their _father: Verloren. This sin was only placed upon himself because of his duties as the only Ghost able to wield Verloren's Scythe. The rest only exterminated Kor. [1]

But Frau had a free mind, just like any other human. He could choose if he wanted to continue the work of God just like there were people who denounced their faith and refused to worship the Chief of Heaven. Couldn't he do the same? Couldn't he refuse God, reject him in every possible way and start his live over? He could be a cruel and wicked person; he was going to hell anyway. Frau could finally gain that ability to manipulate and destroy someone's life as his life was currently being revised and edited at every waking moment.

But just as Frau was beginning to formulate a plot, the muffled noise of a soft melody reached his ears. He raised a suspicious brow and turned about the chaotic room. As the light flickered off, Frau caught sight of a shining light coming from his bag. He approached it and took that moment to unplug the lamp, his mind finally calming enough to understand the threat of a fire hazard.

He rummaged through his bag, the increasing melody unnaturally drowning out any other present noise in the room.

Finally finding his slim black cell phone, Frau frowned at the caller ID: _unknown_. Not restricted or withheld, _unknown._ Only three people knew his phone number, and Frau was certain that none of them would bother with withholding their number. The lump in Frau's throat seemed to grow as he thought of the possibility that…maybe, no, it was absurd, he quickly told himself. _God_. Really? _God was calling him_. Frau chuckled at his ridiculous idea, but, as he continued to stare down at the flashing _unknown_, he seemed a bit hesitant. He was about to denounce his faith in God and then his _phone _rings? A phone no one knows he has?

Coincidence?

Trying to force the lump down his throat but to no avail, Frau flipped open the phone and pressed it against his ear. [2]

"…God?" He asked uncertainly.

There was a pause, a long one, on the other line before a voice spoke: _"…As much as that flatters me, Frau, I'm inclined to deny that I, sadly, am not God."_

Frau released a sigh of relief at the familiar tone and voice, and advanced towards the overturned bed to rest his back on the wooden frame. His gloved hand fisted tightly on the thin electronic, mindful to keep himself from breaking it. Frau never thought, ever, that he would be glad to hear that usually sarcastic, sharp voice that practically _lived _to scold him.

"Castor," a smile threatened to tug at the corner of his lips, "where the hell are you callin' me from?"

"_From the phone in the Church's kitchen. It seems that the rest are monitored and I know how you made me _promise-."

"Shut it, Castor," Frau growled threateningly though was completely ignored as Castor continued as if never interrupted.

"_-not to tell anyone about it, so I had no choice but to call you from here."_

"Whadda need?"

"_I need you to call my phone, if you would be so kind."_ Castor sighed. Frau could picture the russet pinching the bridge of his nose. It was always a habit of the puppeteer when he was annoyed.

"What about Lab's phone? Couldn't you ask him to call yours?"

There was another pause, and Frau could already hear the incoming sarcasm. He certainly _walked _into that one.

"_Call from Labrador's phone? Now why did _I _not think of that? …Of course I asked! He lost his too."_

"And Lance didn't want to help?"

"_When I asked, I was given this piece of advice instead of something useful: 'If I am presented with an opportunity to annoy you, I should take it and exploit it without hesitation.' Though, surprisingly enough, this is annoying me too."_

Frau chuckled, a bit relaxed at finally falling into the simplicity his life used to be. He wanted that back.

"How do the two of you lose your phones so easily?"

"_Labrador takes his gardening and whenever it rings the flowers take it apparently."_

"And your excuse?" Frau could no longer keep the grin stretching his lips from appearing.

"…_That's beside the point. Call my phone, Frau."_

"Or what?"

"_Or I'll bond your soul to a fish. Call my phone."_

"But you've already done that to yourself," Frau held back a chuckle. "Where's the fun in repeating the same stunt?"

"…_How about I bond you to a squirrel then? I'm sure the two of you will have _tons _in common, like your attention span."_

"Aw come on, Castor, make my day. Remember that thing you used to say to me _all the time_ when we were first taking our bishop's exams together?"

"_You are a complete idiot and I pray to God everyday that you come up with some terminal illness that will grant me the pleasure of gaining another partner?" _Came Castor's quick reply, almost as if he had memorized and rehearsed it several times. (Which was probably the case.)

"No!" Frau sighed, rolling his eyes, "The other thing."

"…_Frau, I am in a _public setting_, I am not about to say something that two stupid _teenagers _told each other a long time ago. Besides, people know I'm talking to you now."_

"So?" Frau knew it was a long shot, and he even began to question his sanity. To ask such a thing from Castor…he was certainly slipping slowly into lunacy. With a shake of his head, as if it could clear him of all stupid thought, Frau forced a grin on his face. He knew he didn't need to pretend for anyone at the moment, but forcing the gesture seemed to help him cope with unwanted feelings. Feelings he shouldn't even have in the first place. "Whatever. All right, I'll call your phone. You better find it quick, I'm not about to spend my _entire day _helping you. I got shit to do."

There was another short pause, as if Castor was debating with speaking or just hanging up, but a quick _"alright, start calling" _came out the earpiece before the line went flat.

Rolling his eyes, Frau began to search through his minimal contact lists for Castor's phone number. Finding it under _Four-Eyes_, he punched the call button and listened as the numbers began to automatically dial themselves. A second later, and the ringing noise sounded. It rang once, twice…after the fifth, it went straight to voicemail. Frau clicked the little red button to end the call and tried again, his eyes never straying from the single light in the dark room. The only other source of light came from the broken doorway, somewhat obscured by the harsh snow-filled wind.

He wasn't sure how many times he called, his mind and vision having blurred at having to stare at the bright screen for some time now. He was about ready to give up, wondering why he was even calling Castor repeatedly, when the other line connected and Castor's frazzled voice sounded out the earpiece.

"_Found it! I never thought of looking _there _but…" _

There was a pause, Frau's scattered mind kept on the screen as his thumb hovered over the little red button.

"…_Frau? Are you there?"_

Frau was beginning to apply weight onto that button when Castor's concerned voice, something hardly ever directed his way, whispered into the room, almost as if he was right beside the blond bishop.

"_Frau, something's wrong. I know it. Talk to me."_

Trying to force the lump down his throat, Frau brought the phone back up to his ear. "'mm fine," he replied vaguely, not trusting his voice at the moment. He had no idea what was happening to him and just wanted some time to think.

"_If you were fine, you'd be bragging about one thing or another. …Is it about Teito?"_

A bit shocked by the accusation, Frau placed a gloved hand over his mouth, a bitter taste coating his tongue. The suppressed rage that had hardly been released with his momentary lapse in judgment was beginning to resurface, a tickling feeling in the pit of his stomach. "'mm fine, really. Look, I should-."

"_Is Teito even there?"_

After a moment of Frau refusing to respond, Castor continued, taking the blond's lack of reply as a "no".

"_Let me guess. Something happened; you two disagreed and had an argument. But this went beyond an argument because you two argue all the time, so it had to be pretty bad. Someone said something they rather regret, or at least implied it. And _you_-."_

"Why's it got to be me?" Frau yelled into the receiver before he could stop himself.

"…_then tell me what happened." _A pause, _"If you won't say anything, then I'll just continue. _You _probably threw a fit, and either accused Teito of something or just plain ran away. My money is on the latter."_

"_I _do not run away," Frau forcefully replied, trying to salvage whatever he could of his dignity.

"_Maybe not physically, but certainly emotionally. And I'm speaking from experience so there is no use denying it."_

"Why'd it have to be you calling me?" Frau gave an exasperated sigh, removing his back from the bed frame and instead sprawled himself on the ground. "I would've had an easier time talkin' to God."

"_Certainly, because he didn't shove his-."_

"Okay! There is no need to go into detail!" Frau placed a gloved hand over his forehead, wondering if his kind even blushed. "That was in the past, and I would much rather not bring it up."

"_But you seemed pretty fond of doing-."_

"Have you no shame?"

Castor scoffed. _"Once upon a time, I certainly did. But around you, it seems, I can be as perverted as I want to be."_

"God-."

"_Won't save you now. Talk to me before I tell Labrador of our secret affair."_

"…You wouldn't," Frau glared at the ceiling, almost wishing he could direct his glare on Castor.

"_I most certainly would. He is rather curious about it. But I'm sure he won't judge you, he has practically pegged you on _that _team anyways."_

"What team?" Frau sat up, crossing his legs as he glared towards the dark carpet.

"…_You know what team I'm talking about," _Castor replied smugly._ "And really, I am rather hurt that you would deny the relationship we once had."_

"Bullshit," Frau frowned, certain of the man's sarcastic tone even if he did try to hide it. "We had no relationship of any kind."

"_Of course you would deny it _now_. Honestly,"_ Castor sighed towards the growling coming out of Frau's clenched teeth, _"we were teenagers. Both with our share of baggage. I doubt that anyone would have resented us because we were a bit…_wild_."_

"That was not _wild_, it was plain embarrassing." Frau fell back onto the ground, squinting his eyes as they began to grow accustom to the darkness.

"_We were _teenagers_, Frau. Teenagers do stupid things like that all the time."_

"Not with their best friend," Frau mumbled.

Castor sighed. _"I will never say this out loud again, nor will I confirm that I ever even _said _this but…" _Castor sighed again, loudly and even a bit exaggerated before he continued, _"Even if those few weeks meant nothing to you, they really saved me."_

Frau sat up, all his attention on the words coming out of the earpiece.

"_It's just," _Castor cleared his throat, _"At the time, I really needed someone to…_help _me. I mean, I died at the hands of my father after learning that he cared about me enough to sacrifice the one person whose life I value above my own just to save me. I was screwed up, to say the least. I even avoided Razette all that time before you persuaded me to do otherwise. So, yes, you really did help me. Even if it meant nothing to you, it did to me." _There was a long pause. _"Frau, please don't tell me I'm on speaker phone or some stupid shit like that."_

"Huh?" Frau answered intelligently.

"…_that is the final time I _ever _tell you anything remotely emotional. Frau, whatever dilemma you have yourself in now, fix it. If you didn't intentionally mean to hurt the boy, then _say so_. You're rather a difficult puzzle to put together, this coming from the only man who has ever shared a bed with you-."_

"Can you stop?" Frau finally found his voice, growling into the speaker in hopes that he could intimidate the russet even with so many miles keeping them apart.

"_Either way, you are trying to fix Teito's problem, are you not? Do not force your own scattered emotions on the teen; it'll only confuse him more. You need to be an open book around him; otherwise he won't trust you enough to let you help."_

"Easier said than done," Frau sighed.

"_Those who serve God will never forsake those who seek salvation, nor will we betray them."_

"That's the thing, Teito isn't lookin' for salvation. What does your God tell me to do then, huh?" Frau couldn't prevent the bitterness in his tone, but he really wished Castor had the answer. If past experiences showed anything, it was that the soul-binding Ghost was the intellectual everyone pegged him to be. Even if that quality of his was very, _very _annoying.

"_My God wants to know what _you _want to do."_

Frau sighed, eyes kept on the dark ceiling.

"I don't know," and that was about as truthful as Frau could be about anything.

"_Well, Frau-kun, you still have time to figure it out, but I am inclined to say that you already know what it is you want to do."_

"What makes you so sure?"

"_Because you know exactly_ _what the boy is going through. How is that for coincidence?"_

"…I guess, but I've been in the Second District for six days now and I'm no where near understanding what the hell is goin' on in the kid's head," Frau sighed, placing an arm over his tired eyes as he lay back down onto the ground.

"_Six? Isn't it seven or did you get to the Second District earlier?"_

"Whadda mean? It takes two days to get to the Second District," Frau raised an eyebrow at the sudden change in topic.

"_So then it would be seven. You left on a Thursday so you would have arrived there Saturday."_

"Yeah, so it's Friday now. Can't you count, Castor?"

"_More than you, idiot. It's Saturday now."_

"It's Saturday?"

"…_let me guess, you've been drinking, right?"_

"Okay, seriously, how do you know so much about what's going on over here," Frau sat up, darting his eyes around the dimly lit room. "Are you watching me?"

"_Unlikely," _the man chuckled,_ "I have better ways to spend my time."_

"Oh," Frau pulled his lip up into a devilish grin, preparing himself to pay back the puppeteer for the humiliation he had played in Frau's life, "or are you perhaps disappointed that I broke up with you?"

"_As I recall you saying," _Castor's comeback came immediate, unfazed by the pompous tone of the blond bishop,_ "we were never in any sort of relationship, and if someone did do the 'breaking-up' that would have been me. After all, I had a beautiful girl waiting for me."_

"Pfft. Girl is right." Frau grinned knowing that, on the other line, Castor was glaring at the phone.

"_Just fix the situation, Frau," _Castor snapped, giving Frau the privilege of patting himself on the back for winning that little tiff._ "If Teito ran away, go look for him. And stop yelling at him, for Heaven's sake."_

"Yelling? He's the one yelling!"

"_You're older, Frau! Act the part, if not for your sake then for his. Mikage entrusted his best friend in your care, don't allow his final wish to become something meaningless. Now, I have chores to do, not to mention yours too. Jio-sama was pretty-."_

"Pissed off?" Frau added helpfully.

"_Yes, that. Your first week is up. Use the next more constructively, okay?"_

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Say hi to Lab for me."

"_I will. Don't drink so much, Frau, and try to keep a level head when dealing with Teito. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."_

Frau smirked. "Whatever. Bye."

"_Goodbye, Frau." _The line went dead shortly after, steady annoying beeps that seemed to drown out any noise in the room.

Flipping his phone closed, Frau held it as he placed his fisted hand over his mouth. He rested on his back once more, a small ache pinching his lower back at his inability to decide whether to sit up or lay down.

Now, with the room silent except for the ever present humming of the furnace next door, Frau was given some time to think. Firstly, he flipped open his phone again and frowned at the time and date glowing in dark letters. _Sat, 11:23 AM. _Practically half a day passed without his knowledge, better yet, yesterday passed without his knowledge.

With a sigh, Frau grudgingly sat up and placed his neatly folded phone into the pocket of his coat. So much time had passed and the boy didn't return. That only meant that the teen really did runaway. Frau could only imagine the stupidity the boy could get himself into, especially with the signs of an approaching blizzard. He would give the boy enough credit to, at least, find a decent place to sleep before trying to go off on his own, but Frau did not exclude the idea of Teito stupidly hiking through the knee-deep snow in the forest to avoid being spotted by military personnel.

"He's going to get himself killed," Frau whispered, as if afraid someone would take his words seriously and try to perform the task.

Even if he didn't understand what was going on through his mind, one thing was certain: Frau had to find the boy. If not for himself, then for Teito. It was too late for someone to save Frau, but he could help another soul before he died another horrible death. A pure, white, fragile soul.

It was then that he understood why he just couldn't leave the boy alone. It seemed so obvious, practically predictable.

He wanted to protect that innocence.

But most importantly, he wanted someone with kind eyes, a soft rare smile, and warm hands to help him through the abomination that was his life. Teito was the type to give up everything he owned to help someone less fortunate and Frau wanted to take advantage of that trusting quality. He wanted to taint and pollute him, to hold him and drag the boy down with him, just to have some company in his cold, dark world. It was selfish but…

"…you brought it upon yourself," he mumbled incoherently. "Should've stayed in your little military academy, brat. I'm not letting you go, not now."

Laughing bitterly, Frau shook his head, the sting of unwanted emotions flooding his senses. He never thought, since his death, that he could, well, _feel_. But the pain constricting his chest, the lump in his throat… Even if it was all painful, Frau felt fortunate. It meant he was still human. Even if it was only a small part.

x-x-x

Strapping the two duffle bags to the whining hawkzile, Frau cast a single glance towards the empty motel room. He tried, at least, to fix the furniture before deciding to leave but it seemed oddly pointless. The bed frame was in shambles, the comfy recliner was dead and the stupid lamp was out of commission for the rest of its unnatural life. He had left a few pieces of money in compensation after he took a quick shower and rummaged through the chaos for any of their possessions, but it didn't seem like enough, especially considering that Frau felt like he was running away instead of confronting the owner and paying the respectable amount for the damages. On the other hand Frau currently had priorities. And the room was far from it. At least now, the stupid owner had no choice but to fix the stupid room and perhaps even improve it: a window or two, and a working heater.

With everything packed, the only thing left was to begin the search for Teito.

It was pointless to deny anything now, about what he felt for the teen, but that did not mean he had to admit such things verbally. For now, his main priority was finding the boy. If the boy still hated him, then it was a straight path back to the Seventh District. Labrador could take over where he left off. Heaven's knew that the lilac-haired bishop was better with these sorts of things. And Frau could just return to the life he used to have before that faithful night when it rained shattered stone and a single battered child. It would be simple, really. Frau had countless wishes disregarded, how would this be any different?

Tightening the strap to the baggage, Frau released a sigh that hardly mingled in the air, his breath just a notch warmer than the air around. He seated himself on the vehicle and brought it to life, the thing sputtering before the cold seemed to finally wash out of its system. It hovered gently over the top of the snow, making travel much easier than on foot. Fixing the scarf around his neck, Frau promptly directed the hawkzile towards the snow-free road and began to make his way towards town.

The lines of trees and snow-buried houses passed by in a blur, showing no sign of human life in the blur of white. He slowed his vehicle as the town's first major intersecting road lay a few miles ahead. A few people were rushing through the streets, various items in hand. They were huddled in thick jackets, scarves and fuzzy, warm hats: anything to shield them against the cold. No vehicles passed, and Frau found himself stopping completely at the intersection though it was obvious he could continue. The single traffic light blinked its red light repeatedly, like a pulsing heart.

Frau cast his icy stare up and down the street, still uncertain of where he should start his search. The most logical place would be the police station but Frau felt somewhat reluctant to start his search there. For one, the Police seemed hardly dependable during times of urgency. Second and the most important: they were tied too directly to the military and Teito was still on their "Most Wanted" list. But for him, a single man, to randomly start looking about for one teenage boy…the idea of that did not end well in the bishop's mind. Especially if he tried to post up "Lost Cat" posters all over the place. If Teito was still in this town, seeing those posters would only make him turn tail and run for the next. He needed to be discreet about his search, needed someone with information, or at least access to information.

With a reluctant sigh, Frau turned his vehicle towards the center of town. Soft flakes of snow drifted towards him, batting him lightly on his exposed face. He had to blink away the stinging cold water, cursing himself lightly for not thinking of bringing goggles or something of the sort. He then remembered his reading glasses but quickly cast that aside. It just didn't seem like a good idea.

Once finding the station, Frau parked his vehicle in the small lot, smirking as the hawkzile seemed to sigh loudly, and began his ascend towards the double doors of the station. He pushed against the dark oak door and raised an eyebrow at the scene.

He was invited with warm silence, a heater somewhere humming lightly as it kept the building a bearable temperature. There were only two people sitting in waiting chairs by the doors, though they seemed to be there unwillingly rather than asking the police force for help. The rest of the room seemed bare; twenty or so desks empty until he caught sight of movement.

A man stood at Frau's abrupt entry, making his way from a desk near the far back. He was tall, almost as tall as Frau was, and though he walked rather lazily, Frau noticed his discreet light steps, movements that proved he wasn't always a cop. He had rather long shaggy cinnamon brown locks, mostly hidden underneath a navy blue beanie. He removed the item and rustled his hair, light curls taking form as he threw the fabric onto a desk near the reception. He placed both hands on the wooden counter, signaling the blond with a tilt of his head to do the same.

"Need to make sure you're not packin' heat," he spoke with a slight accent, nothing Frau had ever heard before. It blurred his T's and sounded much more cheery than what was acceptable for a man with a rugged voice like his to have.

"Right," Frau nodded, his eyes slightly narrowed onto the man as he placed his fingers on the counter, thumbs curling underneath the edge to grasp the thick slab of wood. The blond felt tense just being in the building.

"What can I do you for, sir?" the man placed his elbows on the wooden plank, resting his chin on his upturned hands.

His body language was poorly attempting to hide the sharpness of his hazel eyes, how they calculated and profiled the blond. But, maybe Frau was just better at noticing the smaller details.

"I'm looking for someone," Frau replied vaguely, wanting to see how the man would react.

"Looking for someone, huh?" He seemed unfazed by the question, replying with the same calm, slightly amused expression he had on before. "Well, we have lots of someones locked up in the cages below. And there are the lots of someones locked up in the federal prison," he twirled one of his longer strands of hair around his index finger, "and even more someones walking about, free men. Care to give more information?" the officer asked politely, a smile overpowering his features and almost concealing his piercing stare, _almost_.

"Well, he's short-."

"Can't help you," he dropped the hand that was playing with his hair onto the reception.

"And why not?" Frau almost growled but forced himself to remain as calm as possible.

"All those someones down below, they aren't so short as to be called short," he continued talking whilst his free hand moved about, creating random gestures for virtually everything he said. "And as for helping you search for someones in the federal prisons, I can't disclose that information to just anyone and I highly doubt I can help you find a single person outside these walls. Can't help you. Your friend missing?"

"I wouldn't say missing. More like ran away."

"I can give you a missing person's form to fill out," he pushed against the reception desk and looked to the cabinets hidden from view on his side. Cubbies lined its length, each with a specific tag that labeled whatever form they currently held. He gave a groan when he couldn't find what he was after, his brows furrowing together. "Where's that stupid form? You know what," he turned his playful eyes back to Frau, "just give me a description and I'll be willing to help."

"Don't you need to report that kind of thing?" Frau raised an eyebrow.

"Nah," he shrugged his broad shoulders, looking like a child as he did so. "I'm going to be fired within the week. Like I really care to file a report now."

"Why are they firing you?"

The man's smile crawled into a smirk. "I don't properly fill out and file reports. Oh, and refusal to follow orders or something or another," he added as an afterthought.

Frau nodded, unsure of what to make of the man's character. He acted innocent enough, but Frau was not stupid enough for fall for it. He was hiding something. Only two types of people acted the way the man was: complete ditzes or someone trying too persistently to hide their true nature.

"So, tell me, what's your friend look like?"

"You're not going to write it down?"

"I got a good memory," he tapped the side of his head. "Just start describing."

"Male, short, roughly…" Frau measured with his hand where Teito would reach against him, somewhere around chest level. "Like five feet or so. Scruffy dark brown hair, dark green eyes. Um, he looks twelve or maybe thirteen. Kinda always looks pissed off... yeah, that's all I got."

"Got a name?" the light-haired brunet tilted his head off to one side.

"…I'd rather not disclose that piece of information." At that moment, Frau became so uncomfortable that there was no real word to describe it. He shook his head, "You know what I think I'll just handle this myself." Frau was prepared to turn but was stopped as the brunet caught his attention once more.

"Blondie, I'm sure you're capable of _many_ things but if you're looking for someone that very well just disappeared, you're going to need help."

Frau gave a reluctant groan and returned back to the reception. The police officer was right: there was little Frau could do. Searching blindly was one thing, but Frau was on foreign land. He had no contacts here, no one to gather information from, no one to help with the search. What was needed at the moment was a precise plan, not a mindless search.

"Got a timeline for his disappearance?" The officer behind the counter tried to sound as professional as possible though Frau found himself frowning at the poor attempt he was doing in trying to hide the smirk he wanted to broadcast.

"Somewhere between," his voice slowly left him, realization slowly seeping into Frau's mind and pushing his anxiety into non-existence.

_That _was how he was going to respond to the question? 'Somewhere between'? He should have had a precise hour, right down to the minute of the brat's disappearance. No, not even that. Frau shouldn't be here in the first place. He shouldn't have ran out. He shouldn't have stayed outside for god knows how long and let the boy leave unnoticed. He shouldn't have left the boy alone, period!

It should have been Teito trying to run for it, trying to escape Frau's abuse, not Frau running from his own damn fears. That was not how it was suppose to happen. The brat was the one not in control of his emotions; the stupid brat was the one who had the crazy impulses, who did things without thinking things through. Frau was supposed to be the one with the calm reserve, the one who could do anything if he set his mind to it.

The hero.

"Um," Frau suppressed the urge to shake his head, and, instead, kept himself from breaking away from the brunet's gaze "between Friday morning and Friday night. I can't give you-," Frau frowned, unable to hold back a sigh "I can't give you any information more specific than that."

There was a moment of pause where the two men just stared at each other. Though there was no reason for it, Frau could see the pity wanting to surface on the other man's features. He scoffed, finally tearing his sights away and onto a discarded paperclip further down the reception.

Hearing the other sigh, Frau turned his attention back to the brunet, watching as he pulled a card from within his uniform pocket and slid it towards the blond.

"Here," he spoke, a light smile pulling on the corner of his lips, though Frau was uncertain if the gesture was to calm or mock, "I honestly want to help, you know, my last civic duty before they dishonorably discharge me," he disdainfully saluted and rolled his eyes, "I swear, I fight a war for this country and that isn't good enough for them," he sighed rather overdramatically, his body language contradicting his words. He seemed expectant of how the military would end up treating him. "I'll keep my eyes and ears open here in case his description pops up; I suggest you call daily since I'm certain I won't be getting a number to contact you," he smiled.

Frau slid the card into his hand and read it.

"You're name's Ashley?"

"Mom wanted a girl," he shrugged his shoulders, barely able to conceal the grin on his face, "Just call me Miles."

Frau looked from the card to the thirty-something year old brunet. He was certainly an odd one – not how a veteran of war should act. He seemed insane, bordering between denial and excitement about the war he says he was in. Even so, he seemed competent, intelligent and above all, willing to bend the rules to help a complete stranger.

"Alright, I'll trust you enough to help me but I swear, you do anything to make me think that you're just going to screw me over for whatever reason, I'll slit your throat in your sleep," Frau narrowed his eyes, his voice just above a whisper as he leaned towards Miles.

The brunet smirked, his hazel eyes appearing excited by the threat. "Alright, Blondie. Tell me if you ever find your friend."

"If you don't hear from me within the week, it means that I found him."

"And if you crawl in through my bedroom window by the end of the week, knife in hand, that'll mean you _didn't_ find him?"

"Catch on quick, Ashley." Frau patted the reception desk before exiting the station.

Once he was greeted with the bitter air, the possibility that the boy might just disappear and never be seen again seemed too realistic at the moment. Frau had no idea where Teito might run off to. He was an unstable teenager with a crazed view of the world. Though the teen might have puked quite a bit, some of those drugs could still be in his system, and that would be one of the first things the military would check for an incoming recruit. Not to mention, seeing that Teito had done wrong to their General, they might kill him on spot. Frau was forced to assume that the teen wouldn't dare step foot within the First District. He also doubted the teen would try to backtrack and head towards the Seventh District.

Pausing his line of thought, Frau pulled out his cell-phone and began to descend the stone steps. He quickly punched in Castor's number, and only had to wait for two rings until someone picked up on the other end.

"_Frau?"_

"I have a favor to ask," he quickly replied, pulling his keys from within his pockets.

"_What do you need?" _came Castor's immediate inquiry.

"I need someone to be on the lookout for Teito. I'm pretty sure he won't try crossing through the Seventh District but…"

"_Just to be safe?"_

"Yeah," Frau suppressed the urge to sigh, and mounted his vehicle.

"_I'll keep a doll out at the borderline of the Second and Seventh District. How long ago did he disappear?"_

Reluctant to reply, not wanting to give Castor more ammunition for his failure at doing something that _should _have been simple, the blond bishop caved within seconds. He needed Castor's help. "Like, a day ago, roughly."

"_Frau-."_

Hearing the pity in his name, Frau immediately cut-off Castor before he heard anymore from the puppeteer. "Look, I'll find him and set things straight. Just do that much for me, alright?"

Castor sighed _"Ingrate," _before hanging up.

Frowning down at his phone, Frau shook his head and easily stowed away the electronic device. With that taken care of, Frau un-paused his thoughts and began where he had left off. The Second District connected to the Seventh, First and Third. With the Seventh District taken care of, and the sure possibility that Teito would not venture towards the First, Frau pulled out of the parking lot and began heading towards the Third District border. He would travel for at least an hour and a half. If he didn't find a town from here until the time was up, then he would be almost certain that Teito was still within the small town they had occupied for the past week.

With knee-deep snow and the howling winds picking up speed, even if Teito walked non-stop for an entire day at the rate of a mile every half-hour, he would, at least, have only traveled forty-five miles or so. This town was nearest to the Seventh District, Teito would really be given no choice but to continue towards the Third. The only problem in his theory was if someone stupidly gave the boy a ride. Frau only hoped that the teen was paranoid enough not to trust random drivers, and just avoid them.

"The only one allowed to take advantage of him is me," Frau mumbled, his vow drowned out by the roar of his vehicle. Icy blue eyes were kept on the road ahead, darting to any turn in the main road that swerved throughout the Second District.

For the length of two entire hours, the road had branched off in eight different directions. Frau, once easing his vehicle to the side of the snow-filled road, cursed under his breath silently. There was a town ahead, ten miles away. The blond was certain Teito was not there but decided to investigate anyway. Maybe ask around if anyone had seen him. And, also, Frau needed a thicker coat, not to mention a helmet that could block out the bitter air and falling ice.

x-o-x

"Six down, two to go."

The scritch-scratch of a heavy leaded pencil against rough paper seemed too eerily loud, the wind having died down considerably. Everything around was calm, surreal. A fresh blanket of white was on everything, from the tall winter trees to the unused roads.

With a sigh, Frau removed the pitch-black, full helmet he had bought at the previous town he had visited: Winter Falls. Placing it at a side, he ruffled his matted blond hair with a frown. He had always hated helmets, they ruined his hair, but he had no other choices and, really, Frau wasn't in a position to be picky.

The town had proved to be a useless stop, well except for the quick meal and supplies.

The first four detours he had taken after had led to the middle of nowhere, some of them coming to a dead end before the hour was up, while others gave no indication that people even lived further down. There were only two roads left but the sun was falling quickly under the bleach-stained mountains. It would be dark soon, and though he had died once, Frau was certain he could just as easily die out in the middle of the chilled wilderness without proper shelter. He debated whether it would be better to go back to the first town and find another place to sleep, preferably not the same motel, or back track to Winter Falls.

_If only there was more light during the day_, Frau thought bitterly as he frowned down at the map of the Second District in hand. Then he could have more time to search. He hated the thought of Teito wandering through the bitter snow, his tiny warm body no match against the harshness of Mother Nature. It served the boy right, really, but, at the moment, Frau was far from thinking of the boy's punishment. He just wanted him _safe_. Teito should be in his damn pajamas, huddled in front of a stupid roaring fire, hot chocolate steaming warm beside him while he flipped through the pages of a _really boring _book. How a teenage boy could find pleasure in reading _history _would forever baffle Frau.

But no.

One thing led to another and here he was now, fighting to control his impulses and think logically about where the stupid brat could have run off to.

Things were just not that simple for the blond bishop.

Frau did not deserve a warm room and a soft bed. Not until he found Teito, safe and sound. So, with a sigh, his _cold _breath coming out as light fog, the blond directed his gaze upward. He frowned at the drifting snow, the lump in his throat making swallowing difficult.

_Safe and sound…_

Shaking his head, Frau began to work on a makeshift shelter for the night, speeding up once the light began to fade into a dim purplish-orange glow.

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[1] This is all speculation. Don't take me serious on this

[2] I don't know if they have cell phones in their world but I kinda needed Frau and Castor to have an easier way of communicating than through the church's…zaphion mail…doohickey….whatever-it-is thing.

**A/N: Man, I suck at thinking up town names… :P**


	10. Day 7: Capitulate

**A/N: Same day as the last chapter, it's just in Teito's POV. I apologize for the shortness of the chapter but it was…**_**difficult **_**to write, for more reasons than one. But I'm sure I've given you guys less in the past *cough cough* (^_^);

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**Chapter Ten**

**Day 7: Capitulate**

The sound of a slamming door was the first thing that cut through Teito's groggy sleep, his arms swinging lifelessly at almost the same rhythm as the warm body beneath him. He twitched but, for whatever reason, his eyes wouldn't open. He sharply inhaled, his lungs filling with icy air before fatigue taunted him back into sleep.

x-x-x

The next time he dizzily awoke was at the feel of warm fingers running along his bare skin. Sleepy eyes blinked open, watching as pale hands pulled away his slacks and discarded them onto the ground. His head rolled lazily and it was back to sleeping once more.

x-x-x

Teito woke with a start, his entire body jerking to life though a constricting force reined him back, forced drowsiness back into his system and relaxed tight muscles. He wanted, at least, to open his eyes but it almost felt as if his body had fallen asleep, his mind oblivious to the fact that it too should be in a naturally-occurring stupor.

He could hear the faint footsteps of someone walking about, the sound of rustling fabric, of light breathing, and the incoherent mumbles of a young man. He could hear the soft sound of a nail being driven into dry plaster, of running water, soft and almost soothing, and he could hear the _clinking _sound of chains crashing into one another and cuffs snapping in place.

Teito was completely aware of the world around but he had no control of his body, no control of the light tremors coursing through him, or of the tears threatening to spill.

The blanket currently settled on him seemed to press heavily on his chest, constricting his breathing and making the simple act difficult. His hands lay uselessly at his sides, underneath the blanket. His fingers gently touched his thigh, and Teito was acutely aware that there was nothing separating the skin-on-skin contact. His thumb twitched higher up his thigh, barley grazing the rim of the clothing he was wearing. Teito wasn't sure yet, but he felt naked under whatever was covering his torso. Fear choked his throat, making the hot tears stream quickly down his sunken cheeks and a sharp prickling pain to run down his spine at every missed inhale.

What was going to happen to him?

That single thought consumed his entire attention. The last thing he remembered was feeling almost…_safe _in a stranger's home, and now…

Now Teito could feel the heavy weight of metal enclosed around his ankle. He struggled uselessly to at least open his eyes, but the more he struggled the more it felt as if he was a prisoner in his own body.

"_Mi-ka-ge-chaaaaaan~_" a male's voice cooed his best friends name, making Teito cringe at the sound. "Are you awake? I can't tell."

A warm hand slipped onto Teito's cheek, finally getting a reaction out of his numb body. He jerked away from the touch, still unable to open his eyes though thankful that the tears had finally stopped.

"You are awake. Hmmm, maybe I used too much…"

"D-dun't toush me…" Teito growled, finally finding his voice though wondered where the rest went. Where was that snarl he was known for? That spark, life? He sounded defeated and dead, as if he was retaliating just because he could, not because he had the confidence to back up his threats.

Lance chuckled: that single stupid act seemed to back up the confidence _he _had. "My, my; such a bark."

"Fuck off," Teito slurred, earning another chuckle from the blond standing beside the bed.

"Let's not get an attitude now, shall we? I wouldn't want to give you a penalty so early in this."

"In what?" Teito finally snapped, his voice finally holding that sharpness and precision he was used to having.

"I thought it would be obvious," Lance feigned innocence, his tone light and confused. He ran slim fingers ran through Teito's tousled brown locks, amused as the younger male attempted to move away from the touch. "Just think of it as your return to the Host Club," he continued with the same light tone, "but without any civil rights."

A heavy weight settled uneasily over Teito as he slowly opened tired eyes to catch Lance's own dark auburn eyes watching him intently. They held no mischief, but an almost sadistic pleasure lurked beneath their reddish depths.

The fear and uncertainty must have shown in Teito's face for Lance quickly pulled away, a grin pulling the edge of his lips and exposing teeth.

"Don't look like such a startled pup, Mikage. I'm not into abuse." That grin slowly faded and was replaced with an all-knowing smirk. The amusement could still be seen in his eyes as he titled his head off to one side, slipping his hands into the pockets of his pants. "Can't vouch for clientele though."

"C-clientele?" Almost at a turtle's pace, Teito's mind began processing the bits and pieces of information he had been given. It should have been evident since the beginning but the entire weight of the situation seemed to finally settle. "You're selling me?"

A surge of adrenaline seemed to neutralize whatever had caused the stupor in his body, and Teito quickly threw the blanket keeping him in place aside. As he turned to his side, ready to leap at the bastard and pound the blond's head in with his fists, Teito found himself being thrown back onto the bed, a heavy weight crashing on his abdomen. Growing, he looked up to catch those amused brown hues before he winced painfully, his entire body jerking as his wrists were taken by a single hand and held over his head.

The body on top of Teito lifted, the weight on his wrists excruciating as his bony wrists dug into each other and a knee was placed along his navel, pressing down agonizingly. He struggled to breath normally, cracking open an eye to properly glare at Lance.

"Get off," Teito threatened, pulling against his wrists uselessly. For someone who claimed they were not into abuse, Lance certainly knew how to keep someone down.

The blond chuckled in retaliation, his jovial mask slipping as his eyes burned with something bordering on rage. "I'm really starting to lose my patience, Mikage. I suggest we shimmer down before either of us does something they will later regret."

Growing, Teito continued the act of trying to free himself. When it was obvious he would not be able to free his wrists, Teito pulled a leg towards his chest, right under Lance's raised body, and was prepared to kick the blond's when he caught sight of that flash of metal a little too late.

Lance had heard the jingle of chains and had already placed a foot on the metal links by the time Teito had pulled his knee up. Simultaneously, the blond pushed his knee further down into Teito's abdomen and dragged his chain-bound ankle back into its pervious straight position.

Wincing only briefly, Teito pulled his other leg, ready to retaliate, but his knee was caught by Lance's unused hand, causing the larger male's entire bulk settle on Teito. He was splayed awkwardly on the bed, causing flickers of pain to shoot throughout his sore body. He growled as he tried to free himself: pulling on his wrists and ankle, trying to move his unchained leg, but it only seemed the more he moved, the heavier Lance seemed and thus the more injury he caused himself.

That, however, only made things more difficult. Frustrated at his inability to remove _one man _from atop of him, Teito retaliated with more ferocity, with energy he didn't possess. Soon he was panting, too tired to try anymore.

"I fucking trusted you," he grinded out through clenched teeth, eyes purposely kept away from making any kind of contact with the auburn eyes watching Teito from above. There was not a single word that could perfectly describe how utterly incompetent he felt at the moment, only a cluster of them: stupid, naïve, irritated, discouraged, depressed.

"That, actually, wasn't your first mistake. Your first mistake," Lance paused, licking his lips before continuing, "was implying that you ran away from home. Your next mistake was telling me about your former drug condition."

"W-what does that have t-to do with anything?" Teito wheezed, too exhausted to shout.

"Because," the hand on Teito's knee uncurled his limb, a second later the pressure on his abdomen disappeared and later reappeared on his recently released thigh. Now possessing a free hand, Lance slipped out a secured syringe from within his coat pocket. "With this little guy," he played with the liquid filled needle in between two fingers, looking at the clear liquid almost longingly, "you'll be doubling over with pleasure that you won't even have time, or the patience,to think about punching any of my customers in the face."

Teito glared at the syringe, darting his displeased gaze towards the blond every few seconds. "What the h-hell is that?"

Finally catching Teito's flickering eyes, Lance lowered himself onto the smaller male, making sure to keep the teen's legs pinned down with his own.

"This," he rested his elbow on the bed, presenting the needle to Teito as the clear liquid shimmered with odd golden specks, "is a Histani Hindrian cocktail. Eighty-eight point nine percent pure Histani and ninety-six percent pure Hindrian. Their street counterparts are only, _roughly_," he fiddled with the word, twirling the pointed object between his fingers before allowing the transparent liquid to settle, "fifty percent pure, each. And that's if you get it straight from the manufactures. This little guy is a real _pain in the ass_ to make: it takes weeks to get one stupid bloody drop but who needs the chemistry lesson now, hm?"

Teito swallowed, hard, his sights never straying from the syringe.

"This affects recovering addicts significantly higher than any other drug, but I'll let you figure that out on your own." With a grinning mouth, Lance placed the plastic cover in between his lips, pulling it off with a sharp snap and spitting it off to a side.

"N-no! Get offa me!" Teito's terrified gaze was kept on that terribly sharp needle as it neared his neck. He twisted and turned, doing everything he could to keep moving. He knew how Hindrian was taken (no matter if it was mixed with Histani): it _had_ to be injected into the jugular vein, if it wasn't pumped through the heart before circulating there was a higher possibility that the effects would reverse. Pain instead of pleasure. Excruciating, mind-numbing, body-crippling pain.

Teito was ready to welcome pain instead of the unwanted feel of another sharing his bed. Sure, Teito used to sell himself for drugs but he had done that willingly. He had indulged in that, loved it even. And not just because of the _wonderful _effects of the drugs, but also because of the company. So many women, a few men here and there. They requested him, demanded for him at times. He had never received attention like that before: lustful want. The only other time Teito had been wanted was for other reasons. Reasons that made his life seem so undeniably depressing.

But he didn't want to be that person anymore. Those people wanted him for the same reasons the military did – Teito realized that now. They wanted him for what he could provide, not for who he was. And just like the military, those people had left him damaged, left him to pick up the pieces of his shattered life.

And Teito wasn't about to let this bastard ruin the little progress he had made. The progress Frau had struggled, seemingly against his nature, for Teito to realize that he needed.

Lance snarled above him, irritation finally breaking away his mask. His eyes burned furiously, his face scrunched up with pure anger. He cradled the needle in between his lips before raising that fist and striking Teito on the side of the head.

The first strike had caused Teito's mind to balance unsteadily, throbbing pain pulsing in time with the veins along his temple. He groaned but still had enough control of himself to keep moving, fighting against the dominant force above him. The second strike, however, rattled him terribly that he had forgotten how to breathe for a moment.

The only noise in his ears was that of pumping blood – rushing, pulling inside arteries and veins. His vision sparked in an array of slurred, brilliant colors like the sight of exploding zaphion: shimmering as it disappeared into nothingness.

It took too much energy to keep his eyes open, and even though the alarms ringing in his head spiked at the feel of a small prick on his neck (something that cut through the rest of his pain and flared almost agonizingly), Teito was not in control of himself to even respond to it.

Almost immediately, his entire body shivered: a ripple that ran from the top of his head to every single toe, before he relaxed almost inhumanely. His limbs felt heavy, caressed with soft licks of warmth that he wondered why he had been fighting to keep that shimmering liquid away. It felt so delicate, inviting. This wasn't the pleasure he had associated with Hindrian in past experiences, or Histani for that matter. This was something so surreal; something that seemed could never be described with words alone.

Compared to the cocktail he had been given, Hindrian and Histani alone seemed like a lustful one-night stand. All masochistic ravish, where you plunge yourself in and get it done quick because you are about ready to explode and you need to rid yourself of it. It was hard and fast, no emotions just lustful instincts.

But now, it felt like he was being held so delicately, _touched _so delicately. Like if soft fingers were weaving their way into his hair, not to keep him in place but to relax, comfort. It felt like butterfly kisses: soft lips barely touching skin but causing much more reaction than lustful bites.

The pain he had felt was gone, both physical and emotional. It was as if Teito was cradled in the softest of materials, cradled in the arms of someone he loved and trusted. It was so comforting, so welcoming, that Teito could not stop the prickle of tears in his eyes. It was too much emotion forced into such a small space.

It was just so heart-breaking: heart-breaking that Teito had never felt like that before. The closest thing he had felt to something like that was when his best friend was still around. How the two of them were always together, how they promised to always be together. A comforting feeling that even he, a war sklave, could find solace in another human being. They depended on each other: no third party there to cause their loyalty to be forcefully split.

It was the two of them. The two of them and everyone else.

The soft _pitter-patter _of watered snow hitting a window in the room slowly pulled Teito back into reality and seemed to almost force him to open his eyes. He had to know if what he was feeling was real. He had to know if everything before had just been a nightmare. If, in fact, none of it had ever really happened.

No being kidnapped.

No trusting in a complete stranger.

No learning of his idiotic attraction to a certain blond.

No drugs and sex.

No losing his best friend.

No taking refuge in the Basburg Church.

No fleeing the military.

No attempted murder of the Chief of Staff.

It _had _to be the day before the military exam. The day he and Mikage had stayed up late sparring, sharpening their skills so they wouldn't end up looking like idiots – or killed.

That had been his life. It was meant to be his life. He had been thrown so early into the military that Teito could not see himself doing anything else. His Zaphion was molded to be something destructive, and that was basically the only talent he had. The creative part of his mind had been pounded into oblivion. The logical part of him had been shaped to follow orders, never make them himself. What he had learned was improvising tactical strategies in the midst of battle, and the quickest way to kill a man. He could never be normal, never be a citizen who worked a nine-to-five job. He was meant to wear a uniform and salute with his right hand to his superior officer. He was meant to never question, only follow.

He was meant to be a tool.

Not a person.

Those sorts of thoughts usually depressed the teen but, instead, that caressing inside his belly sparked violently, reacting to his enflaming rage. The feeling was sharp; cutting too deeply that it caused Teito to jerk sharply, as if he could recoil from the feel prickling just below the surface of his skin. He choked out a breath, eyes finally fluttering open to see the cruelness that distorted Lance's handsome face.

"Gone for all of five seconds but you look like you've been out of it for ages," the smirk pulled on the corner of his lips, exposing teeth. He looked indisputably wicked but Teito was not given the privilege to even feel a sliver of fear.

Without hesitation, Lance had reached under the thin material keeping Teito clothed, running pale fingers along his heated thigh. Fingertips played too close for comfort, gaining reactions that the teen prayed were not real. But as those fingers wrapped securely around Teito's faint arousal, his world exploded a fraction of a second later.

His entire back arched into the touch; his suddenly free hands were grasping at whatever material under him he could. He needed the reassurance of something solid, something real to keep himself from admitting the horrendous truth. The truth that he wanted to touch, wanted to scratch and bite that flawless pale flesh Lance was hiding underneath layers of clothing.

He wouldn't fall for it however.

He still had some part of his sanity that had not been taken captive by the devilish cocktail that made him hypersensitive to Lance's burning touch and, damn it, he was going to use it! Teito wasn't going to be bested by some human-made narcotics.

But as a hot tongue ran the length of Teito's neck, the strangled groan trying to escape his clogged throat seemed to emphasize that he was no longer in charge. His body _required _this, whatever it was. Teito's morals and conscious wants were going to have to take a backseat until his primal desires were satisfied.

"Honestly" Lance's husky voice whispered into Teito's ear, startling the teen a bit but not enough to pull him from his rise. "I wasn't going to waste this on you, but you really needed to learn your place." He chuckled softly, enjoying the tremble of the teen below him.

Teito bit down on his lip, attempting to twist away, to run while he still had a sliver of his sanity, but a sharp, throbbing, needing pain between his legs only allowed him the privilege of turning half way. He buried his face in the sheets and pillows, both hands taking in as much of the material they could possibly hold as he released a shuddering breath. He moaned into the fabrics as the hand holding him in place began to play with him slowly, almost painfully, before he turned his head off to the side, mouth agape and attempting to take in desperately needed air.

"F-fuck y-," the rest slurred into a suppressed moan as he was gripped too tightly for comfort. It should have hurt, _painfully_, but it only seemed to take him a step closer to that explosive ending he was hoping would come soon. It was mounting, higher and higher that Teito was barely wondering when it would fall over. It had only been a few minutes but he was teetering on the edge of insanity. He didn't even think it was possible to be as hard as he believed himself to be.

"No more talking," Lance cooed as he twisted the rest of the flushed body beneath him so it faced the bed. Slipping a leg between the brunet's, Lance tugged Teito's waist up and continued the work he had neglected for all but a moment.

Teito hissed into the pillows below him, writhing with disturbing pleasure. His overheated body was begging for more, begging for that final release. He inhaled a sharp breath, a pained cry stuck in his throat as Lance ran his thumb over his sensitive flesh, feeling as it slicked warm liquid over it.

"Stop," Teito inhaled deeply as he constricted his entire body, shivering at the waves of heat. "Stop…!"

"We haven't even gone at it for five minutes," Lance scoffed. He took Teito's chin into his free hand and twisted that neck until he could see those unfocused emerald hues. "We'll be done when _I'm _satisfied."

Hungry lips took Teito's captive, biting and sucking until Lance forced a rumbling moan out of the teen. He couldn't hold it back any longer, couldn't keep his lustful desires pent up and suppressed to the point of agony. Uncertainly, the brunet parted his mouth and a hot tongue snaked its way inside.

Teito's sanity was dwindling into nonexistence, along with his shame. He would deal with the repercussions later, and his entire body seemed to sigh as he finally allowed himself to give in.


	11. Day 8: Prom King

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A/N: All my fans are sadists! And Devalu's a monster for feeding your addiction Dx _**Whaaa!**_

**Chapter Eleven**

**Day 8: Prom King**

**Frau's POV**

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Frau's night had been a long one. So long, in fact, that it clear went into the next day before self-preservation screamed at his sleep-deprived body to get up and move. The wind and snow had come back to life somewhere in the early morning before the sun feebly shone its light through the grey clouds hovering inches over the trees. The snow now fell in a sort of light drizzle, more water than ice.

Large dark bruises curved around Frau's swollen eyes, looking almost painful against the blond's fair skin. He sported a thin layer of frost over his clothing and hair, its usual sunshine color dull, its spiked texture gone. It lay plastered to his skull, the odd curled-tip spikes cascading over his forehead and shrouding his eyes. He ran a gloved hand through them and slicked the damp hair back, freeing stray frozen droplets of water that littered his hair like tiny diamonds.

Moving was painful: a sharp prickling pain that became irritating as his cold body grew numb. It took twice the amount of energy to perform simple tasks, and Frau found himself panting and exhausted by the time he uncovered the hawkzile from its light blanket of snow. Even more so when his attempts to bring the vehicle to life failed.

Slipping out of the driver's seat, Frau bitterly smiled down at the vehicle before he threw a kick to the machinery. The hawkzile easily tipped over and fell into a soft cushion of slush with a moan. The bishop chuckled humorlessly as his shoulders shook with the suppressed emotions.

Once he reined in his bitter laughter, Frau forcefully sighed, the weight of his responsibilities finally settling on his shoulders almost uncomfortably. He sighed again, this time appearing like the broken man he knew he was. He had never felt so incompetent in his whole unnatural life. The only child left under his care and he lost him. He lost the one child stupid enough to go wander about in harsh weather conditions on their own.

Frau grasped the handle attached to the hawkzile, and pulled the machinery up with a grunt. This time, making sure to keep his patience, Frau gently coaxed the vehicle to start. It sputtered, just like before. Once, twice… After the seventh try, Frau's patience was wearing thin, and he was just about ready to dismantle the vehicle when it choked, popped and finally hummed into life.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you," Frau sighed, hugging the hawkzile to further show his gratitude. He was beginning to worry that he might just have to start walking.

Pushing that thought aside, the blond began to rummage though his pockets for the map he had been using previously. Comparing the distance between the next two nameless trails and Winter Falls, Frau decided it would be best to finish his inspection of the trails before he went back into town for something hot to eat, and maybe even a nap.

Stowing the map away, Frau slipped on his helmet, wiped the visor of any remaining snow, and eased the living vehicle back onto the main road. He sped down the stretch of white, the road having disappeared underneath the previous day's flurry. Only the dark trunks of trees kept the scenery from turning into a whiteout.

Going at eighty miles per hour, Frau easily passed the snow-covered sign that marked the junction of a different road. He looked back, unsure of that small flash of green he saw, and was forced to halt his vehicle once he realized that flash of green was the reflective material of a road sign. Spinning the whining hawkzile around, Frau advanced at a calmer speed and turned into the turnoff. His eyes darted back and forth, seeing nothing that could count as a shelter or anything else of the sort. The ground was flat, trees too knitted together to leave comfortable space to sleep between. Nothing stirred, and Frau wondered if wild life inhabited the snow-ridden forest.

With a city some miles away, Frau doubted any wild life would risk exposure, considering how panicky humans are around beasts, both large and small. But still, not even the shrill of the native cicadas could be heard. The eerie silence was wearing on his stress and anxiety and he had half a mind to turn around and just head to town. He could distinctively hear his forced breathing, the rumbling of the hawkzile below him. And he could hear the pounding of his heart, disturbingly loud and fast in his ears. It pounded once, twice, again. _Thump, thump, thump._ Hardly any pause between beats, and he was accustomed to that agonizingly long thirty second pause between the push and pull of blood.

Frau pushed the vehicle harder, forcing its purr to turn into a full-blown roar. Trees passed by him in a blur, slurring into black and white smudges in his peripheral vision. Time distorted as stretches of road disappeared behind him; he wasn't sure if time sped the faster he went, or if it slowed. The thought of it slowing down – agonizingly crawling on bloody hands and knees – it scared him, terrified him. It meant more time alone with the horrible beast inside him, gnawing and clawing for attention… it meant more time with his failures and shortcomings, more time knowing that he distinguished that one small light from his world…

He harshly pulled on the handle, pushed on the other. The vehicle turned, the back-end crashed into snow and gravel and upturned the earth in a fine semi-circle as he planted a heavy-booted foot into the snow. The hawkzile hissed in protest before shuddering into silence, leaving Frau panting and gasping – his heart in his throat and his mind scrambled. He removed his helmet with a forceful tug and threw it aside. He pulled in a deep breath, like a man who had just discovered the act of breathing, but it meant nothing to him. Nothing.

And he hated that.

Hated how _now, _when the act was hardly beneficial to him, he missed the need and the want and the encouraging feel of a constant flow of clean air in his lungs.

He missed being human.

Violently, Frau scrubbed his face with both hands, stabilizing a shudder that raked his body head to toe and threatened to paralyze him and take him down. He held himself for a moment, taking the time to quite his breathing and calm his thoughts.

What the _hell_ was wrong with him?

Was this fear – this painful, constricting force that tightened his chest and closed his throat? It had been so long since he remembered this sort of crippling emotion. Before his days flying the skies, if he could remember.

Frau collapsed onto his vehicle, fists tightening painfully at his sides. He couldn't recall how long he had remained in that awkward position, the sun hardly showing behind thick clouds heavy with snow. But when the wind began to howl fiercely, Frau roused himself up before he froze to death. He retrieved his discarded helmet and placed it on his vehicle before leaning against the whimpering machine to search for his cellular phone.

After a brief search through all his pockets, Frau pulled out both the electronic communications device and the crumpled card he had received from Miles. He frowned at it, glared, uncertain of what to do. But, as his situation was dire and he was almost certain he was losing his mind, Frau wasn't really given much options. Punching in the numbers that followed after the word 'cell', Frau brought the phone up to his ear and waited patiently as it rang once…twice... A voice called a weary _'Hello?' _with that strange accent from the other end at the fourth ring.

"Ashley," Frau replied, flinching at the eagerness of the tone.

"_Hey, if it isn't Blondie!"_

Frau raised an eyebrow. "How'd you know?"

"_Of course I would know the voice of my _darling dearest~_," _the elder male played with the two words, much to Frau's disgust.

"What is wrong with you?"

"_Sorry sweetie, I'm still at the office. Could you wait like…five minutes until I can take a break? I've got news on that little puppy you've been asking about."_

"Cat, actually," Frau rolled his eyes. Somehow, the reference of Teito being a puppy did not sit well. Cat seemed more appropriate, especially with the teen's lack of emotions (aside from the whole 'crying'). Cats tended to have that quality, especially when they found pleasure in ignoring their master's calls.

"_Kay, kay."_ And the line went dead.

Frau shut his phone and removed himself from his position against his vehicle. He took a few paces forward, sinking into knee-high snow. He kicked a path for himself further down the road until the elevation of it was too acute to ignore. He glared up the hill before deciding to take a small walk, something to both return feeling to his legs and to give him something to do.

It was a steeper climb than what he had assumed, and found himself mildly exhausted by the time he reached the top. The scene was hauntingly mesmerizing, a painting from a crazed painter almost.

Under the blanket of pristine white, scorched wax-like trees hung feebly to whatever life they had left. They littered the clearing sporadically, clawing their way up from the underworld but struggling against the purity of frozen water falling from heaven. It reminded him faintly of something he heard, a whispered confession of some sort from someone he should remember. But couldn't quite pinpoint whose tongue it rolled off of.

The shrill cry from his pocket startled him and jerked him away from the scene.

"_Yo, Blondie_," Miles began once Frau answered. _"We can talk now, kinda. People still around so if I start acting _strange _you'll understand why."_

Frau looked out to the scene once more before turning away and relocating his hawkzile from the vantage point on the cliff.

"You said something about news?"

"_T. Klein. Runaway from the Barsburg Military Academy."_

Frau cursed silently under his breath, running a gloved hand through his hair as his eyes strayed to the ground.

"_So you knew about this?"_

"Yes, I did," Frau pinched the bridge of his nose, suppressing the urge to curse out the person on the other end of the call.

"_Naughty, naughty, Blondie. You know the landlord doesn't like it when we house stray cats in our apartment~!"_

"So what, are you going to turn me in?" the bishop glared down at his boots, sunken into the snow. He wasn't sure, but Frau felt like he was being ridiculed.

Miles scoffed, _"Hardly. I think the kid's brave for what he did. …I mean, that kitten tried _scratching _the landlord; I can see why he's angry enough to want to send the little guy to the pound…There's actually a reward for your little friend. I found the wanted poster coming in through the fax machine. I snatched it before anyone had time to come back from their lunch break."_

"You're really confusing me," Frau admitted, turning his sights towards the sky. "Can you just tell me the news?"

"_Actually, that _was _the news. A tenant must have seen the little guy; otherwise the landlord wouldn't have sent the very nasty note… Your friend must still be in town, the military is usually on top of everything and their reports are hardly ever imprecise. The only cameras stationed in our town belong to privately owned companies, so one of those… tenants must've caught sight of him… and passed the info to the military."_

"Is there any way you can get your hands on whatever tape the military used to find Teito?" The blond roughly massaged the growing pain along his temple. It really was difficult trying to decipher Ashley's gibberish.

"_Way ahead of you, I already looked into it…and I thought it would be better if we discussed this over, say dinner? My treat~"_

"Better be your fucking treat," Frau growled. "I can get there around…" The sky gave no sign of the time, so he checked the time quickly on his phone and answered briefly: "…Five, maybe. And I think it would be better if I didn't meet you at the Police Station. For obvious reasons."

"_There's this popular café just down the main road, it's called CatHouse. Five o'clock, darling, don't keep me waiting." _And he hung up.

Frau gagged, stomach churning unpleasantly at the idea that people hearing Miles' sided of the conversation imagined that he just asked someone out…on a date.

Frau…on a date.

That didn't quite roll of the tongue right…

With a sigh and a shrug, Frau turned his back on the eerie scene and headed towards his hawkzile. He faintly wondered why that part of the forest seemed to be dying (excessively) but didn't think to much of it. Decided it wasn't worth his time or effort. Besides, if the unpleasant chill at the base of his spine and the feeling that something was just _wrong_ told him anything, it was to better leave things alone.

At least he had a hot, steamy bath waiting for him before he had to join Miles for the…debriefing. Yeah, debriefing. That sounded so much better to his ears.

_-o7-o7-o7-_

With a lazy yawn, Frau walked the iced streets of Ulrict towards the café Miles had indicated. The wind had slowed to a faint whisper and the snow was elegantly drifting down from the sky. The streets were littered with people, half complaining about the weather, the other half too accustomed to it to even bother wasting their breath to whine.

The café welcomed him with heated air, and it wasn't difficult to spot the middle-aged brunet seated by one of the snow-plastered windows. He seemed like a different person, Frau mused, when he wasn't acting like an idiot. He had a strange noble air to him, and for the first time since their meeting, Frau felt like a child around the man. Miles appeared intimidating from far away: the irritated frown, the glare in his eyes as he stared down the newspaper he was reading, even his tense posture.

Simply, Frau shrugged off the strange feeling along with the sense of helplessness and the desire to dump his load on an older, more experienced (if not mature) man. This was _his _problem; Frau would solve his own problems. He may have been young, younger than most believed him to be, but he was an old man by the time he became a teenager, maybe even before then. His job, mission – then and now – required the mind of aged equanimity, not the musings of a terrified youth.

Jaw set, Frau advanced towards Miles, watching as hazel eyes drifted upwards to catch onto his own. Instantly, the noble high-ranking aura Ashely held before dissolved into childish affection. A grin pulled against his lips, exposing perfect white teeth.

Frau rolled his eyes and pulled the chair across from the other out, sitting himself heavily on it. He stripped himself of his outer coat and hung it over his chair before raising his feet onto the chair between himself and Miles. He slumped against the wall, stole the brunet's coffee, and finally, _finally_, addressed the other with a curt nod.

Ashley frowned, kicked at Frau's ankles and effectively knocked his feet off the chair. "Sit right, boy," he scolded before stealing back his coffee.

"I thought I was getting dinner," Frau scoffed childishly.

The grin returned onto the brunet's face, half hidden behind his steaming Styrofoam cup. "Someone's eager for our date."

"It's not a date," Frau glared, which only made the other shrug a shoulder as if he'd more likely believe that penguins breathe fire. "Can we just get on with this?"

"Well, firstly," Ashley blew into his cup, eyes straying throughout the large room, "the last time your kitten was seen publicly was in this establishment."

Frau stiffened as he settled into his chair properly, eyeing the café as if he was within enemy territory.

"Sitting over there," he pointed with the hand still holding his cup towards a group of teens hanging around the bookshelves and beanbag chairs, "well into the night. One thirteen in the morning to be precise with this blond."

"And then?" Frau prompted as he glared towards that far corner.

"Then nothing. I tried hacking into the military database, to see what other cameras might have caught sight of him, but my tech savvy only goes so far."

"Is that all you have for me then?" Frau regretted the sharpness of his tone but if this meeting was showing him anything, it was that he needed to find Teito. Needed to find the stupid brat _yesterday_.

"Chill, Blondie. Take a deep breath," Miles coaxed. Frau sighed and relaxed his shoulders, accepting the half-gone drink the brunet pushed onto him. "I have the name of this blond kid."

"Then what are we doing _here_," Frau managed to bite back the growl in his throat.

"I thought it might be best to talk to a friend of his before you go stalk after this kid and hang him upside down over a frozen river," Miles chuckled, hands folded on his lap.

"A friend of his?"

Miles indicated with a curt nod of his head, cinnamon curls swaying. Frau followed the man's line of sight to a young dark-haired man staring back, _glaring _would have been a more appropriate word. Probably sensing he was being spoken of, the young waiter weaved through the tables until he reached the other two. He forced a bright smile to his face, passed Frau no more than a single glance, before settling all his unspoken loathing onto Miles. The man merely smiled pleasantly in return.

"Need anything else, _Sir_. Or can you clear the table for other patrons?"

"Now that's not very nice," hazel eyes clouded lightly with melancholy, but disappeared behind closed eyelids. "Besides, I don't see anyone waiting."

"I'm sure someone will come in."

"Why do you feel the need to chase me out of here, Luke?"

"I don't need a reason, _Dad_."

Frau choked on his drink, luckily preventing the act of spraying the lukewarm coffee across the table.

That seemed to catch Luke's attention, and he turned his unmistakably identical hazel eyes to that of his father onto Frau. He narrowed his eyes and regarded the still coughing blond critically.

"This is rather a surprise though," Luke turned to his father, "I didn't think you liked men."

"Hey," Frau defended himself before either got the wrong impression. "We're here on business, brat, so sit."

He pulled the teen into the unoccupied chair and decided whatever was going on between father and son could wait until he left. The only pleasantries that were exchanged were names before Frau demanded that they get to the whole purpose of this meeting.

"You want to know about Lancelot?" Luke raised an eyebrow, glancing between the strange blond and his father.

"_That's _his _name_?" Frau asked uncertainly.

"Name's Lance," Ashley smiled.

"It's just a nickname," Luke replied at the same time. "Anyway," he continued with an unmistakable bite to his tone, "What's all this about?"

_-o7-o7-o7-_

"What are you going to do now?"

Frau glared at the manila folder spread wide before him, delicately turning a bleached white page as he stole a drink from his beer. He ignored the inquiry easily enough until the folder vanished and he was left staring at a darkly colored wooden counter that definitely seen better days. The blond grumbled his displeasure but refrained from lifting his head.

"Ashley, care to give that back?"

"Pay attention to me," Miles whined like a child.

"Stop acting like your five," he growled threateningly.

"I want to know what you plan on doing."

At the seriousness of his tone, Frau looked up and was surprised to see such a set look on the man's face. He finally appeared his age, which was definitely old enough to scold Frau should the blond need it.

"What?" Frau bit back the hiss in his tone.

"What do you plan on doing once you find this Lance fellow?"

"Make him tell me where Teito is," he replied through clenched teeth, meeting Miles' narrowed, critical gaze.

"And then?"

"And then _what_? I take the stupid brat back home."

"And you leave Lance alone? Untouched?"

Frau turned away, critically examining his beer bottle. Miles, however, did not find this reaction acceptable.

"Blondie-," he softened his tone, almost pleading.

"Stop calling me that, I'm not a _child_." Frau pounded his bottle onto the counter, threw a few crystalline pieces of payment beside it and stormed out of the tavern without a glance back though he would have been stupid to assume that he would walk out into the blistering cold night alone.

"I just don't want to see you do something stupid," Miles yelled after him once they were both outside. "Especially if it'll end up with you behind bars!"

"They can't pin me for a crime if they can never find the body," Frau grumbled, strictly repeating to himself, over and over again, that his quick steps were because he was hurried, _not _because he was running away.

"Hey," Ashley continued to call out to Frau, and before the older man understood, he was pounding through the slick, darkened streets of a deserted town, stumbling every now and again when the ice got the better of him.

It was obvious to Ashley that Frau was not a native to this section, what with his constant run-ins with dead-ends that forced the blond to be crafty in his attempt to escape, so he used his knowledge of the town's layout to corner the man into an alleyway with no escape.

The buildings rose tall into the grey sky, centering the fall of snow onto the grimy, slushy uneven ground. It was evident that the space Frau was cornered in was a loading dock, the fall into evenly spaced and closed storage units the one and only clue. The blond looked left and right for any means of escape, but only two doors – at either side of the strange U-shaped building – gave any indication of an escape. And he doubted those doors would be left open during the night.

Frau turned to face down the brunet who was inching closer to him whenever he looked away. Ashley's hands were raised, probably in an attempt to calm Frau. He felt like a crazed cornered animal; no doubt he probably looked like one too.

If he really wanted to, Frau mused, he could get away. He wasn't sure if Ashley even had the power to, but in a battle of Zaphion, Frau was confident in his abilities. More so because of the Barsburg Church's praise of them.

And if that didn't work there was always _the other thing_. He didn't like resorting to using that on humans but…

So why wasn't he doing any of that?

Why was he letting some stupid, middle aged man with family problems back him into a corner? Why was his body relaxing as his ears fine-tuned themselves onto the meaningless calm words coming out of a heavily accented mouth? Why wasn't he _doing something_?

"Blondie-," Ashley began again but a sharp snarl interrupted him.

"I have a fuckin' name and it's Frau." The bishop managed to suppress a strange sensation of _déjà vu_.

"Okay then," Miles attentively pushed forward, "_Frau_. When we first met, when you had come to the Police Station, I told you I would help you. So _let me help you_."

"I can do fine on my own," Frau growled.

"You damn punks are all the same," the brunet nearly shouted but managed to hold his tongue. "Think you can take on the bloody world or at least pound it into submission if it's being unreasonable. It doesn't work that way. Sometimes," he softened his tone, which only made Frau tenser, "there's nothing you can do but let someone _help you_."

"You don't know _shit _about me," he retorted, finally taking that defiant step forward. He slipped out of previous stupor, realizing what kind of submissive puppy he had been portraying before.

"I know you wouldn't have gotten this far without me," Ashley shouted, knowing he hit something when Frau violently flinched. "You're young, Frau. _Please _tell me why you feel the need to do this on your own." The brunet rolled his eyes at the blond's glare. "Besides the fact that the military is after this kid."

"I-," Frau began but immediately bit his tongue, his glare returning. But Ashley remained unmoved, unthreatened where others would have at least unconsciously coward. Was Frau repressing that demonic aura he wore like a second skin just for this man? He tried pulling that familiar, if not pleasant, feel around him and finally saw that flinch of fear snap through Miles but the brunet rebounded easily, no shadow of fear lingering.

"I was the reason," the bishop finally answered vaguely.

"The reason?" Miles attempted to keep his tone neutral, knowing if he showed too much interest or too little, Frau would find it insulting and withdraw. It didn't take a genius to figure out the type of man the blond was: strong, confident, fearless. But with strength like that, there was always a terrifying weakness. Even if they never showed it within their lifetime.

"For everything that went wrong with his life."

"Now, come on, that can't be tr-."

"Of course it's not," Frau snarled, stealing another step forward and inwardly cursing Ashley for keeping his footing. "But I might as well have. I was responsible for him. I was the one who couldn't save his friend. I set off that chain reaction that led us into this mess," sapphire hues turned away, glaring at the brown snow cuddled against the walls.

"I somehow doubt that, kid."

Frau snarled at the nickname. He was far too old to be called a child.

"Okay, okay," Ashley quickly lifted his hands in defense shortly before slipping them into the pocket of his pants. "You don't like being called a kid, I get it. But with the title of 'adult' comes a price, Frau. You can't go around passing judgment on whoever breaks your morals and laws."

The blond snorted; that was exactly what he did for a living. Hazel eyes glared at him momentarily, assessing the reason for that reaction before he attentively continued.

"Wherever you're from, hurting someone – or God forbid, _killing them_ – because they did something bad to you is wrong. I'm sure you know that. If you let me help, we can catch this guy and have him sent to prison. We can let the law fairly accuse him and no one can say anything about it-."

"And what? Use the brat as a witness?" Frau laughed humorlessly. "Then all this _shit _would have been for nothing. The military will find him-," he snapped his fingers, "like that. They'll drag him back to the First District and properly execute him. I did not _struggle _this much just to sit back and watch that happen."

"I can see it already," Frau took another step forward, leaving just an arm's length of space between them. They met each other eye to eye, neither intimidated of the other. "The way your son so hotly defended the piece of _shit _without even knowing what we were even going to ask, he's going to have a court-full of character witnesses. Mr-Perfect-College-Student-Who-Volunteers-His-Time-At-An-Animal-Shelter-And-Old-Folks-Home. Who's going to believe someone like that kidnapped and did God knows _what _to a teenage boy? A _drugged up_, military runaway? There is no case. And you. Fucking. Know. It."

"We're not even sure he did any-."

"Don't give me that cop _bullshit_," Frau snarled, fisting his hands to prevent them from grabbing the stupid old man and shake some sense into him. "He had been accused of two accounts of rape in the past three years, five assault charges in the past ten."

"But he's never been convicted of any-."

"And you're going to stand there and tell me you believe it? You believe that all these people just have it out for Mr. Perfect? You, _you_, were the prosecuting officer in half of these cases. Were those people just accusing this kid because he stole the title of _class president_ from them?"

Ashley fell silent, and for the first time Frau finally saw doubt, regret, and a dash of fear mingle in his burning glare.

"Didn't think so," Frau huffed. He pushed that final step forward and rammed his shoulder into Ashley's as he began to walk away, forcing the brunet to take a step back or fall.

Miles, however, did not let the blond leave so easily. A hand shot out and grasped onto Frau's double-layered arm, gripping tightly that it hurt him more than the blond. "As a _police officer_ I can't just let you leave, knowing you might _kill _someone." He didn't speak directly towards Frau, and that just seemed to irritate the bishop further.

Frau tugged his arm free, took a step away from Ashley, and when no retort or outburst followed, he turned fully and was prepared to continue walking but something rooted him in place. He sighed exhaustedly but refrained from turning back. "Look, I can't give my word that I won't hurt the kid, but I'm sure I can keep my anger in check to prevent a homicide scene for you to clean up." Frau squared his shoulders and ducked his head to prevent himself from turning back to Ashley. "And don't think I'm not grateful for all you've done for me, Ash."

The man behind him laughed lightly – a defeated and sad sound. "I know, Blondie."

* * *

**A/N: Hm. Well, I think this chapter, frankly, was pointless but I'll let you guys be the judge of that. We get a little insight of Frau's struggles and Lance's background. I don't really think anyone cares about Ashley and Luke, being OCcharacters and all, soooo I didn't bother elaborating their backgrounds. They'll be gone forever in a few chapters anyway. (Along with Lance, he's not a permanent figure in this story, but that much should've been obvious, da?) So, when will I update? Either real soon, or really, really, really late. I'm off on vacation in a couple days (against my will, mind you) and I don't know if I'll be able to get on the internet over where I'm going…or if I really want to take Kevin (my laptop) and risk him either getting kidnapped or broken. Who knows~~ Till later then~**


	12. Day 8: Lingering

**Chapter Twelve**

**Day 8: Lingering**

**Teito's POV**

* * *

_No_, he thought frantically. _No, no, no, no._

Bitter tears stung his eyes, causing the shimmer of light rising over the horizon to glisten. It rose higher and higher without it needing to be told to do so. Teito shook his head, biting his lower lip to prevent the scream that wanted to surface.

_No, no, no, no! _

He turned away from the rising sun, his chest constricting tightly. He continued to shake his head, not wanting to believe that tomorrow had come. But no matter how much he wished otherwise, there was no denying the soft glow of light that had forcefully entered the room through the dark curtain. It stained part of the bed and carpet with a light orange color.

Tomorrow had come. Tomorrow had come and that meant that yesterday was real. Yesterday…was real.

Teito bit through his lip, but that pain amounted to nothing to the reality of what his life had become.

Yesterday happened.

No one had come to save him.

No one cared that it happened.

He felt so…so wrong.

How…how could he not fight? Struggle? He just…he just let Lance…

Teito's skin felt wrong – too tight, the wrong size for his bone structure. The lingering pain of arousal, pooling hot between his legs, made him want to gag. He shouldn't be feeling this way. Yesterday was not supposed to have happened.

Teito quickly threw his head over the side of the bed, and emptied what little he had in his stomach. The acid burned his throat, rasped something already inflamed, and he was thankful for that pain. Anything to make yesterday seem like nothing.

Pain was easier to deal with when it was physical.

When he didn't vomit again, Teito forced himself to. He stuck his finger as far as he could down his throat, his gagging reflexes slow to start. But, finally, he threw up again, more water than anything. He did it again. And again. And again until his head swam and he gagged without the need to provoke himself.

He shuddered.

It wasn't enough.

Shakily, Teito removed the blanket covering him, keeping his sights away from the bed. He slipped out of it and carefully tested his legs before he pushed away from the mattress. Against his better judgment, Teito looked back to the piece of furniture behind him, acidic water rising up his throat as he took in the sight.

The stain of dried blood appeared too vivid against the white sheets, and the other streaks of red that could be seen intertwined in the fabric almost seemed to compliment it. It wasn't that much blood, maybe half a cup of it, but to the teen it appeared as if someone was killed between those sheets. And, figuratively, that much was true.

His legs trembled under him, shaking violently before Teito could process the idea of leaning back against the bed for support. His knees crashed to the ground, but he at least was quick enough to shoot out his arms to prevent a complete fall to the carpet. One hand landed in the mess he had made previously but, at that point, Teito didn't care.

It was real.

Yesterday was real.

His eyes watered again; his limbs shook violently.

"Oh God...," he choked out, his voice hoarse and cracked. "Please...please," he pleaded with hushed whispers. But, like yesterday, no one heard him.

Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Teito struggled to straighten himself. He vaguely wiped his hand on the gown he had been given and staggered towards the bathroom. His feet dragged across the carpet, the faint clinking of crashing metal seemed eerily loud to him. Once his bare skin touched the cold tile of the bathroom, a shock ran through his overly sensitive body, causing him to collapse once more.

The cold welcomed him bitterly, stinging his heated skin, biting with a thousand pincers. Teito gasped loudly, curling tightly into himself and away from the chill but it ripped through the thin fabric of his shirt and assaulted him violently.

Unable to withstand his small torture, Teito was forced to drag himself towards the shower. There was no bathtub to crawl over – just a plastic door he needed to get through – so Teito threw it open without much care and dragged himself inside. He was faintly aware that the inside was still moist from its previous use last night, but the act of caring was shoved into the back of his mind. He just wanted to get away from the cold.

At this point, Teito was forced to his feet again; his arms were not long enough to reach the faucets. He glided his back against the tiled wall, his mind numb to the fact that he was tugging against his right ankle to move. He turned both faucets until they were fully open before he collapsed back onto the shower floor.

He remained like that for sometime, focusing on his breathing and heart rate. Warm water rained from above and soaked through his shirt in a matter of seconds, clinging to every rise and dip of his body. The bones jutting from his hips began to ache the longer he stayed in his laying position, prickling pain drilling his nerves and making him uncomfortable.

With a shuddering sigh, Teito forced himself to sit up and rest his back against the wall. He stared down at himself almost drunkenly, pulling on his shackled leg experimentally and wondered why he didn't wince when the metal slipped into the cut that had formed. He wasn't immune to pain, even if he didn't feel all there. His stomach still churned unpleasantly, his head throbbed painfully, every nerve in his body hummed and his throat burned and itched.

This was his punishment, he thought. Murderers were violently killed. Thieves had their hands chopped off; liars had their tongues ripped out. And drug and sex addicts were drugged against their will and raped.

Or could he really count it as rape with the way he willingly played along?

For the most part, anyway. It wasn't as if he had told his body to give in, it just seemed easier. Made the pain, both physical and mental, seem more…_bearable_. And, Teito chuckled bitterly, it hadn't been that bad. If he could just ignore the fact that he had been _drugged_, _violated_ and _forcefully entered_, the sex hadn't been that bad.

Not…that bad.

Robotically, Teito began to scrub any exposed skin with his hands. His face, arms, legs. He didn't dare reach under the only clothing he had; he didn't even want to take it off. If he saw what he felt: the crusty feel of dried blood, the immense pain of skin having been ripped open, Teito knew he wouldn't be able to stop the mental break down he could feel lingering in the back of his mind, scratching at the inside of his skull: taunting, malicious. He was already having a difficult time keeping the tears at bay, keeping sane enough to prevent himself from bashing his head against the tiled floor.

So he didn't need that final push off the deep end.

He was safe on the edge as long as he didn't look. Wounds could heal and disappear; meaning the memory of how he received them could also disappear. He just…he just needed to wait this out. Someone would come looking for him, someone would notice his absence. If not the members of the Seventh District, the clergy…_Frau_, then the military he had escaped from, the man he had tried to kill would surely still be searching for him.

If anything, the Chief of Staff, Ayanami, was still looking for him.

Teito brought his unshackled leg up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his knee, resting a heavy head on the protruding bone. He turned his head away to face the opposite wall as the sight of red-tinted water circled around the drain

His constant movements had caused the healing wound to reopen.

_-o7-o7-o7-_

Teito wasn't certain when he had moved, when he had gotten up and began getting things done. He had turned off the faucets and treated the wounds he had given himself unconsciously in the shower: scratches and bruises along his arms and legs, and heavily bandaged the wound around his shackled ankle. Next, he moved back to the room and stripped the bed of its sheets. He used them to clean up the mess he had made, scrubbing the carpet with more force than necessary. After completing that task, he threw the soiled fabric into a corner and began scavenging the room for clean ones. When he came up empty, especially since the chain around his ankle did not let him go past the bedroom, Teito gave up on that task and retreated back to the bathroom. He stripped away the nightgown on him and hung it over the shower door to dry.

Once his mind finally came to focus, Teito was rather startled to find a brunet staring back at him with sunken green eyes. He blinked a few times before realizing that it was his reflection in the mirror, a reversed duplicate of himself. He frowned, watching his duplicate furrow his thin brows together and dip his thin lips downward.

"…Is that me?" he whispered, his voice cracking.

His hand reached out hesitantly to the mirror, forcefully swallowing something stuck in his throat. His fingertips were just millimeters away from the glass, ready to touch the discoloration staining the skin under each eye, but he snatched his hand away before he could. He tightened his fist, glaring at the startled look he saw in the reflection.

"There's nothing you can do about it…" he growled at his reflection, quickly frowning at his hoarse voice. Directing his attention downward, Teito turned on the sink faucet and cupped his hand under the cool running water. For a few moments, he just watched the water spill out of his hand, his mind numbing at the faint gurgling sound it made. Once satisfied, Teito lowered his lips onto the pooling water and drank the faintly iron-tasting liquid. He drank tiny gulps, content with how it seemed to sooth his burning throat and actually stay in his stomach.

With a sigh, he lifted his head again, opening his palm and watching the water spill between his fingers. He played with it for a few more moments before he grudgingly tore himself away. He walked away from the sink and stole back his damp nightgown, slipping it back on before he took a corner of the bathroom, behind the door, and sat there.

Bringing his knees up to his chest, Teito wrapped his thin arms around them and rested his chin on propped knees. He stared mindlessly at the white tile, forcing himself to keep his sight away from the single chain keeping him prisoner.

He remembered when even two sets of chains couldn't keep him prisoner. He remembered that those chains didn't even stop him from killing a few people in the process of escaping the military. The Barsburg Military, of all places. And Chief Ayanami was practically powerless to stop him.

And now, he was degraded to a single chain, as if he wasn't even seen a threat. He was once a war sklave, the mark on his lower back proved it. He had killed people – his Zaphion fed off his rage, off his need to slaughter and mangle corpses. And he had started doing all that when he was just a preteen.

If he still had full use of his Zaphion, that bastard Lance would have been sliced in two when he had made the mistake of kidnapping Teito. No, that son of a bitch deserved worse.

"God'll catch up with you, bastard. They," Teito chocked on the word, tears stinging his eyes but not falling, "…they don't forgive sinners. The Seven Ghosts…they don't forgive sinners."

_-o7-o7-o7-_

"Mikage-_chaaan_~!"

Teito tensed at the sound and flinched when a door beyond the room slammed shut. He refused to raise his head however, but if Lance's presence told him anything, it was that it was either lunchtime or already well into the night. His tiny white-walled prison had no window to stream in light, just the bedroom, but with the door closed and the light to the bathroom turned on, (he liked the sound of the ventilation fan) he couldn't be sure of where the sun hung outside.

Lance called his name again, (well, his _friend's _name) before the door to the bathroom slowly opened. Just enough so he could see, Teito lifted his head and watched as the door neared closer to him, threatening to squish him between the wall but stopped a few inches short. A floppy head of blond hair looked over the door and spotted him. Teito bit back the verbal attack he wanted to throw at the man and, instead, settled with a pathetic excuse for a hiss.

"I brought food," Lance held out a white container inside a plastic bag for Teito to see, his smile kind and unthreatening. The brunet refrained from replying; instead, he pulled his legs closer to himself. Lance sighed, "Come on, you've got to eat _something_. You look like a skeleton with skin."

Teito eyed the container with malice, which only made the blond sigh again. He fully entered the bathroom and eased the door back into its frame, or as far as it could go while being mindful of the chain. He sat cross-legged across the teen and took the container out of the bag, settling it between himself and Teito. After placing a fork on top of the lid, he leaned back, a kind smile arching his closed eyes.

"I'm not eating anything you give me," Teito snarled, pushing the container away with his foot before snapping it back against himself.

"I didn't do anything to it," the blond sighed, placing the container back into its previous spot. He opened the lid for Teito to see, took the fork and tried a little bit of everything. He shrugged his shoulders, as if saying: _'See, nothing wrong with it' _before placing the fork within Teito's reach.

Nausea rocked the brunet's stomach as he continued to glare at the food, and left a foul taste in his mouth. He turned away from both the food and Lance and replied, quite dejectedly, "I'm not hungry." Which was the boldest lie he's uttered yet but the thought of food made him want to vomit and that just seemed like a waste, not even worth the small chance that he wouldn't throw up _all of it_.

Another sigh and Teito could hear Lance picking up the container and eating the food himself. He was slightly jealous that the stupid moron could eat like that without gagging, and knew the only way he could get over that jealousy was by shoving a fork in one of the blond's amber eyes, (or maybe even both).

"So, are you okay?"

At that precise moment, once the last syllable was pronounced, something inside Teito snapped. It snapped the opposite way Teito had anticipated, but that stretched, strained cord just…

"Am I…_okay_?" Teito asked as if he didn't understand the meaning of the word. He turned furious emerald eyes onto Lance who visibly tensed, fork hanging in midair as he kept startled eyes on the brunet. "Am I _o-kay_?"

Like a crazed animal, Teito lunged towards Lance and only managed one hit on the blond's pretty little mouth before he was thrown aside and pinned effortlessly down. It happened so quickly, the sharp lunge and the slam onto tiled floor that it made his head swim, his vision spot and blur, and knocked the breath out of his lungs.

Teito gasped and struggled against the hands trying to pin his above his head, groping in the air until they curled and fisted in cloth. He pulled harshly, expecting impact on his forehead with, hopefully, some part of Lance's face but he slammed into a palm instead that drove him back onto the ground. Fingers curled in his hair and pulled painfully, earning an unwanted moan that arched his back and racked a shudder through him.

"Y-You chain me-!" Teito struggled to say, hoping to distract Lance from his previous reaction, "L-like some animal and ask me if _I'm okay_? You stupid son of a-!"

Warm lips pressed heavily on his, earning a strangled moan from Teito as he continued his struggle for air. The hands intertwined in Lance's clothing pulled that warm body down, mouth parting willingly to be violated by someone else's tongue.

Heated bodies pressed closer, annoying clothing keeping them worlds apart. Teito pulled away, panting and just desperately trying to collect his thoughts.

"Want a repeat of yesterday, Mikage?" Lance nibbled on the shell of Teito's ear, effortlessly earning another suppressed moan from the brunet. "I'm sure I have enough time for a quickie before I have to get back to class."

"N-No," Teito squirmed underneath, remembering what this man had done to him, what he was _currently _doing to him. He was not some _whore_. He promised himself he would stop. He told himself he was done. But his body was betraying him _again_, turning him a slave to his lust. He still remembered those hot hands, touching him _all over_, unrestrained. Their hot bodies pressed together, slick with sweat. Moving, grinding.

"N-n-no!" Teito shook his head and attempted to squirm away from Lance's advances before his hair was pulled again, harder this time. He stifled a cry, water accumulating in the corners of his eyes.

"Too late to back out now," Lance nuzzled Teito's neck, nibbling and sucking at that erratic pulse before he growled softly, "Anyway, you punched me on the _mouth_, you owe me this at least. And think of this as," he sat up, straddled on the brunet's small waist and forcefully removed Teito's only article of clothing, "a warm up for your first client tonight."

A shudder ran through Teito as the coldness of the tiles pinched his skin, edging him slowly away from arousal but Lance made quick work of that and brought that uneasy, animalistic heat back before the teen could think of a plan for escape.

Besides, Teito thought bitterly as he vaguely watched the blond unzip his pants, sex with Lance wasn't all that bad.

Not all that bad at all.

* * *

**A/N: *whimpers* I don't like writing Teito like this (;_;) ;lakjsdf;l jkads;f kjlal jds;fl;kjasd;klj;aklsjd I am not writing a rape scene so forget it! You'll get smut when Lance isn't involved (Maybe, I'm still workin' on it…) Even if it's "against your moral beliefs", pray that I update again before I have to go on vacation, da? **


	13. Savage Affection

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A/N: The previous two chapters were supposed to be updated on Sunday…but the library was closed…and it was closed again on Monday. So you guys get all three at the same time! :D

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Savage Affection**

* * *

_Five Days Later…_

It was strange how easily one could grow accustomed to certain circumstances if they applied themselves. The midnight guests, _strangers_. Living in a bedroom and knowing nothing else of the world. What day it was, what time it was. Time didn't matter when your work came to you – it didn't matter because your prison warden made sure to have everything your little heart desired (except for a ticket home) when he visited you after school mostly every day.

And constantly being pumped full of drugs eased things along nicely too.

It made Teito forget things, painful things. Things better left forgotten.

He had new memories to replace those of a past life. Like of some of his customers, how they treated him as if he was the most beautiful thing to grace the planet (-laugh-). They showered him with gifts and meaningless words of a life outside his bedroom. And then there was the warden himself.

Teito's stomach always fluttered whenever he thought of Lance. He loved the blond's crude vocabulary and wit, his confidence and his greed. And then there was everything south of his cunning mind. Toned muscles, flat stomach, broad shouldered, everything hidden under a sheet of ivory skin. And then there were those molten auburn eyes, eyes of an indolent dragon guarding his treasure. Powerful, possessive and cruel.

When the transition between loathing and attachment took place, Teito couldn't be positive. But two faces of the same coin, as some people might say. It just happened and the brunet found he didn't really care. He didn't care about a lot of things anymore, just took the days as they came.

_-o7-o7-o7-_

Today Lance promised him an easy day.

Easy.

That usually meant one customer who had a fairly good idea of what they were doing. Or at least claimed as such.

Lance had explained that he would not be there to let this stranger in (something about a test at school) so this worried Teito considerably. He never had to deal with these people without the reassurance that Lance was nearby, ready to spring into action in case the customers tried something funny. Teito was far from being able to defend himself. He had lost a considerable amount of muscle in a very short time and his once precise and dangerous Zaphion was forever lost under a mountain of suppressing drugs. He was as weak and defenseless as he looked.

But Teito had to trust Lance. The blond wasn't stupid enough to leave Teito in a dangerous situation, or so the brunet hoped. He was Lance's favorite and most successful…"_Pet_".

So, as it were, Teito forced himself to relax as the sun's annoying glare began to disappear somewhere in the world beyond.

As he waited for the light to disappear, Teito faintly wondered what kind of person would visit him today. He had come to make a game of it, something to ease his mind and make him less frightened of the strangers that were basically taking advantage of him.

One story he found amusing was, what he dubbed, 'The Accountant'.

This stranger, whom he usually named Chris, was an awkward fellow. In high school, he focused on his studies and his studies alone. He had only one friend, his science partner, Erik. Little did Chris know that he would share his first awkward kiss with Erik and that would soon end up scarring him for the rest of his high school life. Everyone made fun of him because he was "gay". To prove a point to the world (but more importantly himself) Chris screwed every girl he could and settled down with the prettiest of the bunch. Now, three children later, Chris cannot understand why he isn't satisfied. He figures it out when he stubbles upon a website…

(Teito wasn't sure how Lance was actually broadcasting him but assumed that it was through technology.)

And here came Chris to satisfy his homosexual impulses on a boy he will probably become obsessed with the more time he spent with him.

It was amusing to think that way, yes, but Teito always hated the endings. They never ended happily.

Not for him anyways.

_-o7-o7-o7-_

Teito wasn't sure when he had fallen asleep, or his drugged-upped version of sleep (which was basically dying for a couple minutes and just staring off into space for the rest). But the _feeling _of eyes watching him eased him back to the present.

There was no longer any solar light glaring from the sliding-glass doors across the way. The curtains were drawn, completely blocking the moon's more feeble glow. There was only the soft light coming from under the door leading to the world beyond.

And by that faint yellow light, Teito could distinguish a tall, large frame standing at the foot of the bed. After a few moments of staring from his hiding place behind a pillow, Teito inwardly frowned at how immobile the figure was. It was bordering on creepy; no human should be able to stand that still, even if it was for only a few moments.

Wearily, Teito turned onto his back, head titled down to keep his eyes on this weirdo, tactfully keeping his shackled leg covered by the blanket as he always did when clients were around.

'At least he's not breathing heavily,' the teen mused.

"'mm sorry," Teito rubbed his bloodshot eye with a frail fist, "must've dozed off."

The figure remained silent, motionless. Teito refrained from sighing. He hated the perverts that only stared.

Wanting to get it over with, Teito patted the bed, an obvious invitation for the towering man to sit. The man visibly hesitated, a strange movement that jerked him forward and back before he eased himself around the bed and sat heavily on the corner, partly turned so he faced Teito with only one leg bent on the bed.

The teen squinted, hoping to get a better look of the man's face but his eyes weren't focusing in the dark. Maybe if the man was closer…

"Is this…" Teito paused before continuing cautiously, "your first time?"

The man gave a sharp growl, and that was all the warning the teen received before the sheets were dragged down to tangle around his waist and his shirt rose up to get caught under his arms, one sleeve even further up as if to remove the single bit of fabric altogether.

A ragged breath forced its way out of Teito as a cold, wet tongue dragged its way along his navel and stopped at his chest. Leather-clad hands drifted ghost-like across Teito's overly sensitive skin. He shuddered at their coldness, at their fabricated smooth texture. From down his side and beneath the sheets, the gloved hand roughly grasped Teito's thigh and, with sheets still hanging off, hooked the teen's thin limb around his waist.

The stranger hid his face under Teito's excessively large tee, nuzzling into his warm neck.

The teen cursed mentally at being unable to see the man's face, and soon voiced that curse when a moist tongue glided over collarbone and an icy breath followed after. He shuddered, unsure if he enjoyed this chilly torture or not.

"C-can," Teito swallowed hard only to have his neck nibbled on; he whimpered pathetically, blood rushing to warm his face and to pool uneasily at the bottom of his stomach. Drawing in a reassuring warm breath, the brunet continued, "Can you t-take your gloves off? Th-they're c-cold."

The man chuckled, chilled breath prickling the bites he left behind on warm tan flesh. "Well, I could," voice deep and rumbling, echoing across Teito's chest, replied amusingly, "but my hands are much, much colder."

Teito gasped, eyes shooting open. With difficulty, he lifted his head and caught sight of cold…beautiful dark eyes looking at him from above his creased shirt. Eyes the color of frozen lakes though Teito could not distinguish them in the dark. They gazed at him almost longingly, an emotion Teito was certain the blond man could not show.

"F-Fr-?"

Cold, chapped lips clamped down on warm and soft, effectively silencing them. A cold tongue slid across Teito's lower lip but his only reply was a whimper before he pulled away, panting as he tried to collect his thoughts.

It was Frau. Frau was here. What as Frau doing here?

"Frau? W-what a-?"

A feral noise of disapproval forced Teito to shut up and turn his attention back to the blond pressed heavily atop him.

_Why was Frau on top of him?_

"They're cameras in the room, right?" Frau grumbled near Teito's ear, earning another whimper from the teen as the boy rubbed his ear against his shoulder as if he could remove the strange sensations Frau was causing.

"T-two, n-near th-the door and-!" Teito attempted to reply but his mentor was making the act of speech incredibly difficult with that nimble hand taunting him beneath the sheets.

Frau merely grunted in reply, already knowing where someone would place a second camera in the room. "Facin' the bed, right? Does it get audio?"

Teito unsuccessfully tried to wriggle free from his pressing place between bishop and mattress. "Dunno," he gasped as he desperately tried to extinguish the burning freeze spreading throughout his skin. "Broken, -think."

"Where are your clothes?" the bishop seemed to ask as an afterthought, as if he had forgotten that Teito wasn't normally dressed this way.

Teito pressed his eyes closed, and could only shake his head in reply. It took too much work trying to put together words to form sentences. How he managed such strange and fascinating actions before was beyond him.

And just as the assault that began all this was abrupt, Frau threw himself off the flustered teen to let him weather the warm air on his shivering skin. Teito gasped involuntarily and immediately turned onto his stomach, curling his body deep into the mattress to fight back his painful arousal.

"Take the blanket then," Frau continued in that even, bored tone of his as if he could care either way.

Teito was still trying to sort everything out. He lifted his head momentarily and caught sight of the man's form roaming the room, looking for something. The teen still wasn't sure if he was pleased that the bishop had come back for him or not. He was ready to ask why the man was here, his mind having finally calmed enough to think right when the door to the outside world burst open, Lance's figure silhouetted in the doorframe. The yellow light crawled and spread to engulf the room, burning Teito's overly sensitive eyes. He turned away, for more reasons than one.

Frau narrowed his sights on the silver barrel pointed at him, suppressing the urge to growl like a feral animal.

"Frau," Lance spoke evenly, seemingly unfazed by the larger male before him, "That is not the name on your file."

Frau chuckled humourlessly, "Yeah? Well, the original file also says I'm dead so whose to say what my real name is?"

Lance slipped the safety off the gun and pointed it at the taller blond's chest. "Who are you?"

"Just a stranger passing by. I'll be taking the boy, so if you'll excuse me," Frau made to move towards the door, a hand outstretched as if to push the young man away…

Two shots.

One after the other.

The sound rang loud and true.

Frau stumbled backwards and slumped, a voice behind him gasped for him. A thin trail of blood leaked from the corners of his mouth before he forcefully swallowed the rest. He heaved a deep sigh, misty white breath snaking around the air before him.

With a roll of his neck, a bone snapped in place. Frau lifted his head and grinned, unbelievably sharp and red-tinted teeth exposed from behind thin pale lips. A snake-like tongue slithered out between his fangs. It slicked across them, polishing them white. Slipping back into its cavern, Frau's closed grin returned, eyes blazing unholy crimson.

"And what exactly were you planning on doing with that?"

Lance jerked, trigger-happy. The gun went off once more but Frau pushed forward and had the gun forcefully pointed upwards. With a simple twist, a bone snapped. The gun clanked onto the floor and a simple kick hid it from view.

Frau threw the young man aside, satisfied when a cry of pain mingled with the sound of crashing and shattering. He closed the door to the room and sauntered towards the struggling young man, easily picking him up by the shirt collar and thrusting him onto a glass-framed picture hanging on the wall. A punch in the face followed one after another. He continued to attack savagely, watching as skin darkened, bruised. As a nose distorted and as inflammation spread like an infection. A tooth hung by a single nerve strand, moving as blood spilled freely between two swollen, cut lips.

Blood pounded in Frau's ears, muffling outside noise. It took a moment to figure out that the shrill ringing behind the background was the teen.

He looked behind him, glaring at the tears streaming down Teito's cheeks. His mouth was moving, yelling, but Frau couldn't make out the words. He didn't care because he was certain that the teen was not crying for him.

With a snarl rumbling in his throat, Frau turned back to Lance and slipped a hand around the blond's fragile neck. He squeezed lightly, experimentally. The young man gasped from the hole in his swollen face, scratching Frau's arm to no avail.

Biting down on the fabric of his glove, Frau pulled the material off and glided it underneath Lance's flimsy shirt, trailing thin red lines from knife-like claws that were taking form.

The bishop opened his mouth, tested the movement before grinning wildly, leaning close enough that he could feel Lance's thundering heart drumming against his chest. He inhaled the boy's metallic scent, nuzzling his neck almost lovingly.

"God forgives all sinners," he practically _purred_, "but if you so much as _think_," he pressed those claws onto thin skin, piercing, "about the boy, I'll come find you." He chuckled. "I will come find you and rip your throat out."

Frau dropped the boy and wiped his hands on his coat, picking up his glove and slipping it back on. He prepared to turn and leave but hesitated, the same strange movement that jerked him forward and back. He looked down to the whimpering mortal trying to crawl away. He kicked the blond onto his back and bend one knee to the ground.

Carefully, softly, Frau caressed the boy's inflamed cheek. Terrified, swollen hazel eyes gazed up at him, a mixture of so many emotions hidden in their depths. One thing that irked the clergyman was the disappointment – the mocking disappointment that flashed for all of an instant. He didn't know what to make of it and decided it wasn't worth his time.

A flash of bright Zaphion, and the cry of bloody murder mingled with the scent of cooked meat. Groaning and moaning: Frau left all that behind him as he stalked toward the teen. The boy coward away from him, the cry of fear evident in his closing throat.

The bishop stopped at the foot of the bed, eyes down on the teen trying to hide from him. He was about to reach out and help him up when his phone shrilled quietly. He searched for it, barked a _'What?' _to the person on the other end and cursed silently under his breath before he put his phone away and reached down to grasp thick chains in hand. A flash of red and the chains broke free with a harsh pull.

Frau turned away, purposefully keeping his eyes away from Teito as he made his way to the door. He yanked it open but no footsteps followed. The doorknob groaned under the strain of his hand; he glared out into the brightly lit hallway.

"Move." The demand was simple, direct. And not a second later did Frau hear the shuffling of feet, the clinking of a dragged chain. Frau didn't pause to wait, didn't look behind.

He led the way into the hallway and out of the hostel.

_-o7-o7-o7-_

"Wait," the sound was barley stronger than the _meuw_ of a newborn kitten: meek and terrified, but Frau did not stop. He continued forward, he refused to look back. The 'demand' continued, followed by forced breathing, stumbling steps and a dragging chain. After his tireless search, day after day after day not knowing whether the stupid brat was alive or not, and Frau finds him completely _content _with the situation he had been placed in? A fucking _prostitute_ for _in-the-closet _gays? Frau was _glad_ to see his sleepless nights hadn't been for naught.

"Frau, _what are you doing here_?" Teito hissed, desperate to get the blond's attention.

The bishop stopped, allowed the teen to catch up before he sharply turned and grasped a fist full of blanket and shirt. He slammed that small body into the wall of the empty corridor, flinching inwardly at how _fragile _the teen seemed. A little more force, and the blond wouldn't have been surprised if he had managed to break a few of the teen's ribs or fractured his sternum. He wanted to apologize immediately but the defiant glare of sunken emerald eyes forced him to bite his tongue and attack with a glare of his own.

"I thought I was here to help you," Frau growled dangerously, "but it seems I was mistaken…"

"After all this time…," water stung the corners of Teito's eyes, threatening to spill if he didn't gather his courage to keep glaring at the intimidating man before him, "You just decide to show up now?"

"I decide…to show up…now?" the bishop spoke through his teeth. He looked away for a moment, tried to breathe evenly but his anger was too close to the surface to ignore, so much easier to deal with than the lingering pain hidden underneath his thin mask. He had hoped to…well, to be Teito's hero. To finally do something right and be rewarded with that blue-moon smile. Not that he would ever admit to something so…_touchy-feely_.

"Would you have been happier had I arrived like all your other suitors? Done what I want and left? So, how does this work?" he grinned acidly, "Should I pay upfront or after, once I'm through with you?"

Frau reached into his pockets and threw a handful of crystalline currency onto the ground, the fragile money shattering into a million pieces at their feet. He stole a rough, harsh kiss, flattening the teen against the wall, and pried his unwilling mouth open with a skilled tongue. He teased the other's tongue to play along but frowned at both the refusal and sweetness lingering in the corners of Teito's mouth.

The bishop pulled himself away, disgusted at his actions once his conscience finally gained his attention. He didn't bother looking back as he rushed the final steps to the exit; if Teito followed, he followed, if he didn't…

A weight lifted off Frau's chest as he heard that distinct sound of dragging chains, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Sure, the teen might have been following him because he had no other place to go, but if others were allowed to do so, Frau would rather live in his imagination than know the truth. He was allowed this much, right? This much separation from the real world?

* * *

**A/N: Okay…yeah. Not the **_**greatest**_** ending, but I figured too much happened in this chapter and I should let it sink in before we move on with the story... Will I update again before the dreaded day I leave? Who knows ;D**


	14. Wounds

**A/N: Been a while, eh? I apologize in advance for any errors I might have overlooked while editing this chapter.**

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**Chapter Fourteen**

**Wounds**

The exit had been right there, right down the hallway. It was a back door, one that led to the dumpsters and a limited number of parking spaces. That small lot led to the main street though an alleyway, the main street led to the main highway, and it was just a few days ride until they reached the Seventh District.

_The exit had been right there_.

The wail of sirens rose in a crescendo, temporarily knocking Frau into a mild stupor. He paused in the middle of the hallway, mind swimming dizzily. He hazily looked around, noticing people – strangers – crowding around their doors, the hallway. They muttered to one another, looked down the hall in the opposite direction of the exit. A few cast Frau a suspicious glance, but otherwise it was as if he wasn't standing there.

The bishop was having difficulty pulling his straying thoughts together, pain and blood loss hindering his movements now that the adrenaline and excitement of his encounter with Lance was wearing off, until a single word shifted the unease of the hallway into total chaos.

_Fire_.

The one word, shouted from down the hall, and a whole mass – _swarm_ – of strangers rushed towards the exit. They pushed and shoved but Frau remained an unmovable force. People battled, threw the weak aside in their attempt to escape. There was crying, and yelling, shouting, screaming. A frightening human sound that surpassed the high pitch screech of the fire alarm.

Frau was having a difficult time sorting his priorities. He knew he had to get out of the building first of all, and then get on the road. Wait, he needed his hawkzile first. Or did he need to see Ashley Miles? No, no, there was something before that. Something…

The bishop wearily wondered why he was in the building when he sucked in a deep breath, hissing as pain violently pulled him from his musings. His shoulder was throbbing, spilling blood in a steady flow that his leather coat did not soak, instead just let it stick to his skin and slither down his side.

Frau pulled away from the panicked crowed, placing an arm across his chest and clenched his shoulder to shelter the tender wound and prevent it from further damaging.

Many of the rooms in his immediate area were the first to vacate, so Frau took it upon himself to enter one of the abandoned rooms to check his injuries. Twin bullets to the shoulder and abdomen; he was bleeding internally; something was nicked – the pain of swelling from the inside made it simple for the priest to diagnose. It, theoretically, could heal on its own; there were few perks to being a Ghost, but once the adrenaline completely washed away, Frau understood what kind of pain was waiting for him.

There was no point in first aid, he would just keep bleeding until one of two things happened: he passed out and, as his body rested, healed. Or he passed out and never woke up again. Frau was not enjoying the latter option. Even as a Ghost, he had an irrational fear of death. It was the one human trait that haunted him since his premature death.

Well, until now. Until concern, despair, disappointment, hope, admiration, rage, love, and so much _more _crowded in his cold heart. And all because of one stupid, irritating, adorable…

_Teito._

Frau raced out into the crowded hallway, shoving against the masses as he strained his neck to look above their heads, searching desperately for that spot of tousled chocolate hair. Someone painfully rammed their elbow into his stomach, pain lighting up like a firework, exploding and singeing, that the priest almost doubled over if the crowd hadn't been so dense as to support up him.

In retaliation, and it was probably petty of him, Frau punched the man in the back of the head and did not stick around to see how the poor idiot faired with the violent assault. He shouted Teito's name but even he knew it was hopeless; the blond was no match against dozens of people and wailing fire alarms.

When had he lost track of the stupid brat?

'_Probably when I practically called him a whore,' _Frau thought bitterly as he thoroughly bit his lip, going against the flow of people to make his way deeper inside the building.

It was during his battle to escape the mob that his phone began vibrating persistently in his pocket. He thought of ignoring it, what could possibly be more important than _this_? But irritation at his slow pace made him pull it out so at least one thing bothering him would stop.

Before he could even snap at the person on the other line, a heavy voice beat him to it.

"_What the fuck did you do?"_

"…Ash?" Frau asked, perplexed. He was almost grateful to hear the older man's voice until it continued to yell at him though tiny speakers.

"_I told you to _wait_, you stupid moron! The cops are on their way, they're surrounding the building! Get your ass outta there before they start taking people into custody!"_

"I gotta find –" he tried speaking around a lump in his throat, wondering when in _holy hell _did it get stuck there.

"_There's no time," _Ashley bit, sounding desperate and apologetic.

"I'll make the fucking time!" Frau barked, effectively scaring the people in his immediate area into giving him a wide berth. He snapped his phone shut, silently regretting giving Ashley his phone number, and sped down the remainder of the hallway, panting heavily as fatigue and blood loss began clawing at his resolve.

He quickly looked left and right, found both halls empty, though down the one he had walked through was staining with black smoke. It wasn't thick, but Frau found himself coughing anyway. He held a hand over his nose and mouth and sped down the hall, unknowingly crunching down on the money he had earlier hurled at the teen's feet.

Again, he shouted Teito's name, coughing, as the smoke grew thicker the further he went. His mind reeled at the fact that, no way around it, Lance had set the place on fire. Who else could it have been? The gunshots would have been heard before all the commotion that happened afterward. And Frau wouldn't have put it past one of the nosy neighbors to stick their heads out their doors to see the bishop walk out with a teenage boy looking worse for wear.

The fire would burn any evidence, and if it killed a few people, so what? That Lance's soul was black. And, what was worse, Frau knew the young man knew it too.

Frau swallowed heavily to keep himself from vomiting, eyes watery from the smoke. He shouted the teen's name again, desperation making him choke on the word.

This was fear. This was real, unadulterated fear. The fear of before, of realizing what he had become when he woke from his death, when he battled his first Kor, when the military began to bear down on the clergy and he was too young to do anything but hide behind Bastien…

When he watched Teito Klein's life spiral out of control and he could do nothing to stop it… all that was nothing compared to this now. He felt so helpless, confused he felt like a child again, young and green and trusting that Bastien would make it all right.

But Bastien was not here, Bastien was not responsible for Frau anymore. Frau was responsible for Frau. He was an adult now, he was an adult and adults did not know the meaning of fear.

"Teito, you fucking brat!" the blond shouted, tears cooling his irritated eyes. "Where the hell are you?"

…his name, muffled as it was it was Frau's name!

Frau released a breath he didn't know he was holding, and ran to that tiny little sound that was almost drowned out by the sirens blaring and the crackling of wood. He opened doors as he continued down the hall, shouting into all of them, smothering the feeling of hope attempting to swell in his chest. He could celebrate once he got both of them to safety.

The heat was almost unbearable now; Frau opened his coat but didn't remove it – he had nothing else on underneath – and attempted to ignore how black the smoke was now, making vision near impossible. Wisps of bright red-orange marked the growing flames crawling along the ground to eat away at the carpet and along the ceiling to blacken and weaken the structure.

Just two doors stood between him and hell; going beyond that was reckless and stupid, but Frau knew he would risk melting the skin off his bones if he had to for the damn boy. What he _wouldn't _do was the real question.

When had that happened, he wondered. _Really _wondered. He had given up before on trying to understand, but this time Frau found he just couldn't leave the subject alone. When had he come to the point that his life didn't matter, only Teito's well-being?

Oh dear lord, how the brat annoyed him. Frustrated him. Almost like having a child he never wanted, or an annoying little brother that he never wanted to take care of. When did he cross the line? When did everything shift and change and stop making sense? There had to be a point one defining moment that changed everything, everything he ever believed in.

Was this thought going to haunt him for the rest of his unnatural life? Would he never find the answer? Could he live with that?

Could Frau live with the thought that he would never, ever know when his attraction to Teito Klein manifested? And attraction was putting it lightly. The damn brat was everything. His moon and stars, his sun, fresh breeze and cold water. With his rare gem-toned eyes, his rich chocolate hair, warm skin, and heartbreaking smile.

There was no going back now that he knew what it was like to care for something so insignificant. He had gone through his entire life half-assing everything and now…

And Frau _hated _it. Purely loathed what was happening to him. He was supposed to be impassive to the changing world. An outsider observing, intervening when his job required it. He wasn't supposed to _care_. It hurt too much to _care_. Mortals were so fragile. They could die so _easily_, like all his friends…

Magdalen…

His father, mother. Gido.

They all left him. They all _died _and _left him_. How much more did he have to shoulder? How much more did the Chief of Heaven expect him to handle before he broke?

Would he have to add Teito to that list? Would he fail to save another person he loved?

No! No, not again, no. He was weak before – not now, not ever again.

"Teito," Frau choked on the dry air, barely managing to keep his eyes open as smoke and fatigue weighed down heavily on him. He slumped heavily against the doorframe, feeling the heat soak through his clothing and burn his skin. "Teito!"

A tiny cough later, his name was spoken through a raspy throat. A small body wriggled out from beneath the futon in the apartment's living room. His hair was wild, eyes streaming tears, cheeks flushed deeply and small limbs drenched in a shirt and drawstring sweats he probably stole from the apartment.

Teito looked utterly pathetic, and Frau couldn't stop the chuckle vibrating deep in his chest.

"You hid under the bed?"

The teen bit back a sob and raced to Frau, throwing himself onto the solid body and burying his face into a warm neck.

"We gotta go, c'mon," the blond whispered hoarsely into the brunet's ear, and hauled the thin body up, keeping Teito's hand in his own to directed him away from the slowly advancing flames. "Keep your nose covered."

"I was looking –" Teito broke off into a sob. Using the hem of his shirt to filter out the smoke, the teen followed Frau blindly. "I was looking for Lance; he wouldn't just leave me."

"I know," Frau responded, barely a whisper of breath. He felt a heavy weight land on his chest, making breathing painful, worse than the smoke clogging his lungs, but ignored it to get them both to safety.

"He said he loved me!" the teen struggled to convey, the danger of their surroundings not fully registering now that Frau was so close by. His mind and coherency were titled askew, as if he had reassured himself that everything happening was just a dream and he would wake up and everything would be sunshine and happiness.

"I know, I know," the blond mollified, assuring himself that each painful stab to the chest was the pain he would soon pass out from his internal bleeding.

"Why would –"

"Teito, stop, please."

Strangely enough, the teen complied. They continued in silence, somehow making it outside only to be ushered into a police car.

_~Lover'~_

"You're a fucking _moron_!" Ashley shouted, pounding flat palms against the steering wheel as he took to fifty miles an hour in a residential area. "I told you to wait – I told you to _fucking wait_, now that damn sonnavabitch got away and I'm left with accessory to arson! _Fucking shit_; fuck, fuck, fucking _shit_!"

"Sorry," Frau muttered, head lolled back against the headrest with an arm draped lazily across his abdomen. "'mm so sorry."

The cinnamon haired officer glanced to his rearview mirror, catching the small teen curled in a thick blanket in the backseat, before turning his much-needed attention on the slick, snow-covered roads.

"Sorry doesn't begin to cover it! And now I'm going to be left with a dead body and a sklave gone AWOL," Miles shook his head, feeling the onset of a migraine coming on.

"I'm not going to die," Frau bit, wincing violently when the small movement caused pain to jolt through his sore, tired body. He knew he should be thanking Ashley, especially with the man's excellent timing, coming to get them before any of the other officers noticed that two more people were staggering out of the taped-off building, but the man was making it difficult for the blond.

What Frau really needed now was Labrador, but it was a three-day ride to the Seventh District and Frau didn't think he had the time or strength to make it. At least it would be simpler smuggling the teen into the Seventh District than out.

"Tell me what happened," the brunet addressed Frau, softly this time. "From the damn moment you walked in there."

"Can't we talk after we've fixed all this bleeding that's going on inside of me?" Frau groaned quietly, screwing his eyes shut as the violent movements of the car continued to jostle his injuries.

"Well I can't take you to a hospital," he barked, taking his frustrations out on the steering wheel. "And I can't guarantee you'll come out alive if I operate on you so I need to know what the fuck happened."

Frau released a shuddering sigh; slowly realizing that…maybe death was imminent. He had not felt pain like this in a long time, had not bled so much without the prospect of it stopping. His wounds were not healing, as they were supposed to. Was this Zehel telling him to kick the bucket already so he could go find a new host?

"If I die –"

"I'm allowed to be pessimistic and cranky," Ashley snapped, quickly sparing a moment from glaring at the road to glare at Frau before returning his gaze. "Not you so _shut it_, punk!"

The blond groaned. Had he been in a better state, he would have argued with the damn infuriating, stubborn man but kept silent. It took too much work just to breath, let alone talk. After some more dangerous swerving, with the sound of screeching tires filling the silence, Frau heard the middle-aged man curse quietly as the car began to slow.

Then he heard a perplexed "Who the fuck is that?" before the car slammed into something hard, violently pitching them all forward. Frau, without a seatbelt, slammed forward and smacked his head onto the glass, splitting the skin along his hairline, and his chest making impact with the dash before it exploded and he was smothered by the airbag.

Frau's ears rang loudly, mind disoriented and fuzzy. He beat against the airbag pathetically to get it to deflate; hearing what was a tussle between Ashley and someone else. He could not make out what they were saying, everything sounding muffled and slurred together, but there was shouting. Angry shouting.

Then his door opened and he stared stupidly at the face he saw.

"Cass?" he slurred, tongue bleeding and throbbing painfully. "WH-what're you –?"

"What the hell happened to you?" his friend sounded worried, concerned, and just a tad homicidal.

"–I'm trying to save his fucking life!" Frau heard Ashley shout, turning his head lazily to find the brunet pinned to the side of the car, a lethal looking scythe held to his neck by a petite lilac-haired man. Frau barked a laugh at the strange picture, regretted it when it caused pain to flare throughout him again, and regarded the undiluted fury icing mauve eyes with stupid fascination.

"Kinda overkill, dontcha think?" Frau slumped in his seat, mustering all his will to keep from dozing off.

"If you can still spout stupidity, I'm sure you'll be fine," Castor muttered, taking Frau's arm to hang it over his shoulder. "Labrador, let the man go! Get Teito out of the car and into the house. You, whoever you are, help me with this idiot."

"Fucking crazy ass punks," Ashley grumbled but obliged, rubbing at his neck were the wicked blade managed to cut the skin open.

Frau blacked out the moment he was on two feet.

_~Lover'~_

"Welcome back to the land of the living," Castor droned, lips pulled into a sarcastic smile to greet the half-dead man spread on the table.

Bleary azure eyes took in what surroundings he could make out, which consisted mainly of the ceiling and Castor walking around him, setting back to whatever work he had been doing before taking a pause to welcome back the blond.

The first thing that registered was the low ceiling, causing Frau's muddled mind to run through locations where such a thing occurred normally. When he couldn't come up with anything, he blinked his irritated eyes and continued his search.

Letting his head tilt off to the side, the whole of the room was presented to him. There was a mix-match of furniture, all looking well worn and comfortable despite the nippy air. Various forms of entertainment were strewn about – a television, pool table, weight set, and what appeared to be a toboggan shoved in a far corner, half-hidden within stacks of unmarked boxes. A set of stairs descended down into the dungeon, and gave Frau the only clue he really needed to figure out where he was being held.

In a basement.

"Where'd I go?" he croaked, wincing at the grave sound he made and the burn it left in his throat.

With some difficulty, Frau righted his head so he stared up at the ceiling again, letting his gaze automatically find the rusty-haired bishop. Castor had his back towards him, beside the…steel table he was laying on. But his body was numb to any discomfort so the blond decided to ignore it. For now. He had too much difficulty just trying to keep from slipping back into unconsciousness. It was too tempting, and he felt so tired, but now did not seem the time for rest.

"Well, I'm hoping not Hell," Castor started, wiping something down with a red rag. "Otherwise we're clearly not teaching you anything within the church." Once polishing it to a shine, he set a jagged blade down on the countertop pushed against the wall, and above that countertop was paraphernalia of sharp pointy objects.

Frau released a ragged breath, feeling the faint tug of constriction along the skin of his chest.

"Please tell me you didn't use that on me," he asked worryingly, eying the various tools with a healthy dose of trepidation.

"Don't be daft," Castor rolled his eyes, though the hint of a smirk tugged against his lips. "We had to use the larger saw to cut your legs off."

"_What?_"

Frau bolted upright, immensely relieved when he saw his legs still attached, and wiggled his toes, just to make sure. The only problem his sudden movement caused was a violent swim of the head. He placed a gloved hand to his forehead, shoulders slouching in exhaustion.

Now the blond could feel the various aches and pains on his body, mainly focused on his throbbing head and chest, both wrapped in staining bandages. Beside him, Castor cursed beneath his breath before placing a calming hand on his uninjured shoulder and guided him back onto the table.

"I would've assumed, at this point," Castor glared, pulling off a glove to place his hand over Frau's forehead, "You would know when I'm poking fun."

"You said it with such a straight face," Frau argued half-heartedly, keeping his body ridged so as to not cause himself more pain.

Castor, seemingly satisfied, removed his hand and slipped his glove back on. Resting lazily against the workbench behind him, amber eyes filled with concern as they took in Frau's form.

"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly, unable to keep the concern from bleeding into his tone.

"Been better," the blond informed, massaging a temple with two fingers. "Feel's like I got run over by a steamroller though."

"That's to be expected," the puppeteer nodded. Unable to find anything else to say, he kept quiet.

Frau filled that quiet easily, however. "So what the hell were you cleaning that for?"

"For a man who has been in a near comatose state for almost two days, you sure wake up talkative," he glared, pushing away from the counter to head towards the more livable area of the basement. In his mind, Frau did not need to know that, as he was anxiously waiting for Frau to wake up, Castor took to polishing all of the tools Ashley had stored in a box and organized them in an intricate manner.

"Gotta make up loss time," Frau explained. Once his vertigo passed, the blond languidly pulled his chest upwards, throwing legs off the side of the table, and basically hung there, sitting up, with his head cradled against a propped arm.

Upon turning around to see Frau up, Castor seethed quietly, teeth clenched and a few choice words burning on the tip of his tongue. He fisted the bandages he had in hand, and wasted not a second longer to stalk back towards the blond bishop.

"You're _injured_, you _moron_," he snipped, controlling his anger enough to keep from physically lashing out. "Lay back down!"

"I wanna see the brat," Frau argued with a glare, steadying himself by placing both hands on the table's edge.

When the blond looked ready to jump the short distance to the floor, Castor threw away the Hippocratic Oath he swore to himself when he first began reading that surgical book he found as a child, and rushed the short distance to throw his fist onto the spot of dark red on otherwise white bandages along Frau's ribcage.

With a soundless cry of pain, Frau collapsed onto the table, twitching convulsively even as Castor helped put his feet back on the table.

"I told you to stay put," Castor muttered, throwing the clean bandages along the blond's pelvis and began stripping the staining dressings on his chest.

"You…didn't have to hit me there," he whimpered pathetically, unable to make his voice function so he could properly shout out the words rather than…squeak them.

"You would've ripped out your stitches otherwise."

Frau wanted to argue that with Castor's so called "help", he could have single-handedly mutilated the blond's hard-earned abdominal muscles, but kept silent when he was fitted with a "don't-you-dare" scowl.

"Why do I have stitches?" he asked instead, knowing how to pick and choose his battles with Castor. His voice finally gained a grain of normalcy, of which Frau was thankful, though it was somewhat damped by the tears collecting in the corners of his eyes. "I thought I saw Lab – isn't he here?"

Castor frowned, nimble fingers pausing in their work for such a short moment Frau would've missed it if he hadn't been searching for it, then it was back to removing the bandages, just a tad of trouble for the puppeteer with his patient laying on them.

"Labrador is with Teito-kun right now," he muttered in a rush, keeping a strict gaze on his work.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing to concern yourself with, Frau," he responded, again with that withdrawn tone that left Frau frowning.

"What is wrong," Frau bit each word, hardening his glare when the russet refused to look his way "With the damn brat?"

"I'm worried more about you so I could care less!" Castor barked, fisting stained gauze into his hand. He sighed then, forcing his gaze away from hostile sapphire eyes.

A sob choked in Castor's throat, unbidden, and in retaliation, he tore himself from the bishop's side, stalking down the length of the table to kick a stack of boxes down. He cursed up a storm as cardboard spilled their contents all over the ground, items skirting against the cement floor to bang against other items or disappear beneath raised items or to hide in the dark corners of the room.

The sudden crash and curses alerted the house, and Miles, dressed in torn jeans and a pullover, peered down into the basement. He was frowning, hazel eyes furious and irritated, filling the doorway and looking downright menacing with the added height of the stairwell.

"What the hell's going on down here?" he sharply demanded.

"Nothing," was Castor's response, tone begrudgingly chasten. He purposefully avoided the brunet's searching stare, and took to digging the heel of his boot into the ground.

Ignoring the awkward exchange, Frau slipped his elbows beneath him and leaned upwards, catching better sight of Ashley standing on the stairs. At his movements, hazel eyes locked on his, and the blond found himself frowning.

"Where's Teito?" it was his turn to demand, and he demanded the information from Ashley.

The man sighed, a shoulder shrugging before he slipped a hand into his pocket while the other took to gently pulling his wavy curls from the elastic band tied at the base of his neck.

"Is that what this ruckus is all about?" he asked no one in particular, eyes closed as he continued to tousle his already messy hair. "Did you explain it to him, Specs?"

Castor stiffened, shoulders tense and hands fisted, before, through clenched teeth, he responded. "I could've done it better."

"Blondie," Miles began, lazy eyes trailing to the glaring blond. "Get cleaned up, put a shirt on for the love of _god_, and come upstairs."

"He needs rest," Castor hissed, coming into a more open area of the basement so he could properly glare at the middle-aged man.

"And he's obviously not going to get any down here worrying his pretty little guts out." Miles wrinkled his nose, taking in Frau's haggard appearance before turning back to the russet. "Literally. Besides, I've made dinner, and that one's been out for an entire day and needs to eat. You can explain it to him then. It's nothing…life threatening, I swear," he told this to Frau in hopes it would placate the blond, and did not bother sticking around to see the effectiveness. "And if you broke anything, Specs, I'm adding it to your tab!"

'_There's going to be a lot of sighing today,' _Castor thought bitterly as he sighed, turning apologetic eyes onto the blond. Frau seemed to sense his sincerity, and gave a curt nod as a response. Then Castor took to straightening the boxes and collecting the spilled items in his immediate area while Frau single-handedly worked to remove the bandages.

"Feels like we're thirteen again, doesn't it?"

Frau chuckled but cut it short when the vibrations rattled his nerves and gave him pain. He winced but just did not have the strength to respond much to his pain. "At least you just met him."

"And the first impression we gave," Castor began, taking to Frau's side to remove the rest of the dressings easily "Wasn't ideal to put us in his good graces."

"What did you do?" The blond tried to speak around a hiss as the open wound on his abdomen was prodded by gentle fingers.

"You don't know?" the puppeteer asked incredulously, an eyebrow rose to further demonstrate his disbelief.

"I don't remember much about…whatever day I had gone to get the brat; jus' 'member burning and pain – pretty much it."

"We may have had a hand in the…damage of his motor vehicle." Castor let an irritated breath hiss out through clenched teeth, fighting the urge to scratch his head as he stared down at the mess of blood and skin.

"I really need Labrador for this," he whispered to himself, though didn't doubt Frau heard it. To the blond, he told, "I can patch it up, but it will most likely leave a scar."

"Oh god – my perfect, beautiful body," he groaned.

"Stop with the melodramatization," Castor huffed, smacking Frau upside the head for added effect. "Just be thankful your injuries weren't as terrible as Labrador first assumed – then you would have had something far worse than _scars _to worry about."

Neatly folding some gauze, Castor pressed it to the wound he finished cleaning, watching Frau's broad chest jerk with a sudden inhale. "Hold this," he instructed, assisting the blond up with a hand to his lower back, making sure he stayed upright by grabbing a shoulder and tilting it back. "Stay like that while I start wrapping."

"Oh god; is that were you cut me open?" Frau attempted to finger the vertical running down his sternum, horrified at the dark stitching against his chest.

"If you don't rip it open," Castor hissed, slapping the blond's hand away "The scar will disappear and you can forget all about my having to perform exploratory surgery to find where you kept bleeding from – now stop moving."

"Oh god, I feel sick."

"Instead of complaining to God," the puppeteer started, wrapping all three wounds with practiced ease, "Why don't you try praying to him and _thanking him _that you managed to survive without me killing you in the end."

"Fine, fine."

Except Frau did not send a silent prayer to the Chief of Heaven. He thought of Teito, of what he last remembered – Teito flinging himself into Frau's arms – and could be going on now instead. And that just did not include Teito's current well-being, but of Lance, and the fire.

Had there been any injures, or maybe even deaths?

Rest assured Frau would blame himself if there had been – regardless of Lance's hand in the matter.

"There," Castor safely pinned the bandage, smoothing his hands across the dressings, across Frau's chest, and pulled back suddenly when he realized what he was doing. "I would get you your coat but I'm still in the process of removing the blood and fixing the holes. Let's get up upstairs – we'll request something borrowed from…that man."

With a grunt, Frau slung an arm over the russet's shoulder, leaning most of his weight into the man as he was eased to the ground. The pain that followed was slow coming, so the blond adjusted to it with good grace. He took a few short steps to accustom himself into walking again, legs tingling with lack of use. That, too, he took with good grace.

It was walking up the stairs when the pain returned, nearly bringing Frau down when it stole his breath. Castor caught him, however, with some difficulty, and nearly dragged him the rest of the way up.

"Shit," Frau cursed, shuddering against his aches. "This feels worse than that time the donkey kicked me in the gut."

"That's just your head talking," Castor explained. He took a hold of the blond's belt, taking more of his weight until they made it onto the landing. Then Frau began to refuse the help given to him and guided himself towards the inviting smells he assumed were coming from the kitchen.

In the home, the air was warm and gentle, and some tension relaxed from Frau's shoulders. He slowly padded barefoot down hardwood flooring, eyes lingering on various family pictures hung down the length of the wall. In a few he recognized Ashley, youthful and with longer hair, being a complete idiot with small children, men his own age, but Frau stopped to admire a small grainy photo set into a larger collage.

"What's wrong?" Castor asked, placing a steadying hand on the blond's shoulder.

"Who do you think that is?" Frau muttered, pointing to a woman smiling pleasantly to the camera. Beside her was Ashley, face unreadable as, instead of looking to the camera, he looked at the woman instead.

"What're you guys doing?" Miles stuck his head out of the kitchen doorway, startling both men into taking a step back away from the wall. "Get in here foods almost ready."

"Um…Sir," Castor started, once he help Frau into a chair in the warm kitchen and gained Ashley's attention by clearing his throat. "Could Frau possibly borrow something of yours to wear for the time being? I'm still patching his coat."

"Just pull something out of my closet," the brunet responded, lazily stirring the contents of a pot on the stove.

"I'll be back then."

Upon Castor's exit, Frau stood to rotate his chair so it faced Ashley, and plopped back down into it. He expected pain and received it, sparing a brief moment to settle into the aches of his body.

"We're in your house?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Just get better, champ – don't worry about the details."

"…the fire?"

There had to be something to his tone, Frau assumed, because Ashley stopped stirring and lowered the heat to the stove. The man sighed, pulling away from his station to lean on the countertop, fixing Frau with a critical eye before turning away. He shrugged a shoulder, brushing a stray curl behind his ear.

"No casualties; a few injuries, mostly mob related. So I'm taking it that Lance started the fire?"

"That'll be my guess," Frau nodded, found the action made his head swim and stopped.

"Now that you're not in any immediate danger of dying on me, care to tell me what happened?"

"I heard Frau's voice, is he awake?"

"Oh for the love of –" Ashley slapped a hand over his forehead, giving an irritated groan.

Through the living room entrance, Labrador made his appearance, looking sickly pale with dark circles staining beneath his eyes. He was breathing deeply, as if each breath pained him to do so, but upon seeing Frau sitting innocently in a chair, he looked a million times relieved.

"Frau, I was so worried –" Labrador began approaching, arms rising as if to pull the blond into a hug, but stopped himself short. With obvious reluctance, he kept himself by the doorway, playing with the fingers of his gloves and looking far too interested in his task.

Ashley watched with growing irritation, unable to believe that his conversation had been interrupted by…this. He sighed exaggeratedly, throwing his head back to loll from shoulder to shoulder, and to the ceiling, he told, "What is with the awkward moment? Hug, dammit!"

Labrador jumped, turning startled eyes to the brunet before looking to Frau. He smiled then, timidly approaching before wrapping his arms around Frau's neck, chin resting atop golden locks. The blond, in return, patted one of Labrador's arms affectionally, causing the lilac-haired priest to smile widely and tightening his hug a tad.

"What's with all the love, Lab?"

There was a pause where Labrador drew in a deep breath, only to release it as a shuddering sigh. He shook his head, a pained noise escaping his throat, and buried his face in spiked hair, muttering something low and incoherent that not even Frau could make heads or tails of it.

"He saw you die, Frau," Castor informed from where he was eavesdropping in the living room. "You know how little power we have to actually change one of Labrador's predictions. We raced over not knowing if we would get here in time or not – or if you had already died. Then there was the matter with Teito-kun," here he sighed.

"He was forced to choose between you and the boy – Teito…um," Castor looked away from questioning azure eyes, wringing the sweater between his hands. He got this far, might as well explain the situation that Frau was so desperate to know. "It… um – we think he might have been given a rapid acting poison of some sort. But Labrador was able to stabilize his condition, only now…only now…he seems to …not be in his right of mind.

"Give some time for the detoxification to take effect," Castor added sternly, lips set into a frown as he challenged Frau with a glare and his tone. "You're healing – you shouldn't be doing anything strenuous that can cause your health to deteriorate. Especially considering you're not being healed with Labrador's Zaphion."

"I'm sorry," the gardener apologized quietly, slackening his grip on the blond. He began pulling away, face torn in anguish, when Frau caught him by the wrist before he could get too far away. It surprised him, to be caught, and he showed it so the blond could explain himself.

"Don't apologize for something like this – I'm glad you made the right choice," he said with much conviction, then turned and glared at Castor. "I blame him."

"For what?" the russet snapped, squaring his shoulders defensively.

"You _ruined _me!" Frau barked, releasing Labrador so he could point out the various stitches on his person. "Do you know how _hard _I worked to look this good? Then you turn around and ruin me!"

"I saved your life, you ungrateful brute!" He threw the zipped sweatshirt at the blond. "Next time I'll let you bleed out on the floor –"

"Okay, okay," Ashley cut in, raising both hands in a placating gesture. "Let's cut the drama – we're all running on anxiety and stress. Let's just sit down, have a nice meal, then get to attacking each other after Specs here washes the dishes."

"Why do I have to do it?" Castor snapped – offended at the way he was being treated.

"He has other important matters to attend to," he pointed to Labrador, then moved to Frau. "That idiot there can barely stand up on his own. And I cooked the fucking meal – show me some compassion; isn't that what you bishops are supposed to do?"

Labrador, sleepily curious, scampered towards the stove and tilted lids open to peer into their depths. Sweet and spicy smells wafted into the air in a flow of steam, tantalizing and mouthwatering. The gardener hummed to himself, reaching for a spoon for a taste when his hand was slapped.

One hand took the lid away from Labrador, the other took him by the shoulder and steered him towards the table.

"No touchy," Ashley informed, adding the final touches to his creations. "Take a seat, kiddies. Specs, be a dear and get the plates."

Castor grumbled but performed the task given to him.

"I can also pull something together for the boy if he's well enough to eat, Labrador."

"Thank you for the offer, Miles-san, but it won't be necessary," the lilac-haired bishop gave a polite smile in return.

"The brat's not eating?" Frau asked as he carefully slid the sweater on.

Labrador shook his head. "I have him on sedatives while he's going through the first stages of withdrawal – it's not the healthiest course of action, I know," he stared down at his plate, feeling the weight of Frau's gaze heavier than before, even if the blond wasn't giving him the evil eye. "But he had been refusing treatment, and you weren't there so I had no choice."

"Alright –" Ashley pulled out a tray from the oven, placing it in the center of the table. He sent everyone a pleading look, and they nodded, settling down to pay attention. "Let's stop with the serious talk for a second and eat, okay? I have vegetarian lasagna and some fettuccine Alfredo; I'll whip up a quick salad –"

"I smelled meat," Frau muttered, craning his neck as if that alone could help him see into the remaining pans on the stove.

"That's for me," the brunet informed, eyebrow raised. "I thought men of the cloth didn't eat meat."

"Frau's a delinquent." Castor took the initiative to serve himself after he brought the pasta to the table. "It should be obvious he doesn't follow the normal doctrine – we had a difficult time convincing you he belonged to the church in the first place."

"Makes sense – still, you're not getting any, Blondie."

They continued to bicker, which flowed through into dinner, giving them something lighthearted at which they could poke fun. Stories and memories were told, the three bishops offering as much as they could without giving their true identities away, which mainly consisted of telling of their reckless years as youths in the Seventh District. For a brief moment, all was forgotten, or as forgotten as they could allow things.

A light fall of snow could be seen out the large windows in the living room, looking bright against the dark of night. The heater in the home continued to hum, spilling warm air without suffocating them.

To Frau, it seemed like an alternate reality. From all the events that happened in the short span of three weeks, to this? This homely, domestic experience – friends seated around the table eating a warm meal, drinking cold beer and hot tea, and reminiscing and sharing memorable memories.

It was a wonderful escape.

If temporary.

"So, hate to spoil the night but…" Ashley, swirling the remaining contents of his beer bottle, leaned back on two legs of his chair. "We should probably discuss where we go from here. I found something at work today; can't really…understand it, but maybe it'll make much more sense to you three."

"I'm still curious as to what exactly happened in that building," Castor raised an eyebrow towards Frau, absently pushing a single fettuccini across his plate with a fork.

There was no way of getting out of it, Frau understood that much. So after taking a deep breath, which he followed up with tilting back the remainder of his beer, he took another from the cooler the brunet had placed between them. It was icy cold and slid pleasantly down his throat. With a satisfied sigh, he relayed as much of what he remembered of the night – leaving a few bits out for the sake of his pride, especially regarding his not so priestly actions towards Teito when he found the lithe body of his pedophiliac desires twisted in those bed sheets.

He then drowned the mental image with some alcohol to keep fantasies from resurfacing.

Once he wrapped up the tale, ending with their being picked up by Ashley outside, he was met with silence. Everyone stared at him, various degrees of bewilderment showing on their faces. Castor had stopped playing with his leftover food, Labrador paused mid-sip of his tea, and Ashley stopped rocking precariously on two chair legs.

"What?" the blond raised an eyebrow.

"…I've been calling you a stupid moron," Ashley began, twisting off the cap of a new bottle, "all this time…not knowing…," he sounded astonished, dazed, until he finished with a shout: "You actually were one!"

"I have to agree with…the man here," Castor indicated with a flippant wave of his hand, of which Ashley frowned at the lack of name being used. "Did you think the plan through at all?"

"I thought it through," Frau responded defensively, wincing when the bandages across his chest tightened unpleasantly. He stilled, shifted a bit in his seat until he was comfortable again. "It just…didn't go according to plan."

"Now, I don't know what kind of ethical codes you priests have to vow to or whatever, but can we agree that you could've handled that situation better than by horribly disfiguring that kid?"

Before the blond could protest, Ashley continued with a stern frown. "You may have scared him shitless, and he probably won't be _charming _anyone anytime soon, but do you understand you can't take the law into your hands like this? I'll be the first to admit that our justice system is flawed, and that Lance kid got off scot-free when he shouldn't have, but just because ya put the fear of God in 'im, that doesn't mean it'll stop him from hurting someone someday in a dark alley somewhere."

Frau inhaled sharply, glaring at his failed attempt to peel the label off his bottle. "I should've killed him," he muttered darkly, speaking with such conviction, with so much…anger, Ashley wasn't the only one taken aback.

The brunet blinked like an owl, stupidly staring until the shock trickled away. Then he glared.

"We've had this conversation before – you can't go offing people you don't like, kid!" At the bishop's glare, he sighed reluctantly and held his hands up in the defensive position. "Now, now; you know I'm right. You fight demons – regardless of how twisted Lance might be, he's not a demon."

"He's worse than a demon! He _shot _me," Frau growled. Then he realized that that little tidbit was of no importance. It was insignificant compared to why he was truly furious. This rage…he wasn't certain how to go about dealing with it; in his younger years he would have smashed something, used physical violence to get it out of his system, but he had nothing to take it out on.

Pushing back his chair and leaving his beer on the table, Frau paced into the living room and back, irritated and suddenly restless. "He…he _drugged_, and _raped_, and forced a _fifteen year old boy _into prostitution!"

"Frau –" Castor started, cautiously pushing his chair back to rise to his feet.

"No! Sonnavabitch deserved _worse_ and he would've gotten worse if I hadn't forced myself otherwise! You're wrong, Ash," Frau grasped the back of his unoccupied chair, needing something to anchor him in the real world. "He deserved something worse than death."

"…maybe he got it," Ashley muttered, brow furrowed as he thought deeply. At the questioning stares, he scratched the back of his head and pulled his hair out of its ponytail. Once ruffling it to its usual curled disorder, he stood to his feet and picked up an object off his coffee table in the living room.

He returned, frowning, still puzzling things over in his head. "I was browsing through military archives – typical Tuesday," he shrugged his shoulders. "This was in the process of being filed away but I managed to listen to it before that could happen. When I picked it up, I didn't think much of it. Then I remembered this guy's desperate necessity that the military not be involved in locating Teito's whereabouts. Listen –"

Ashley played an audio file on his phone, setting it on the table before taking back his seat.

"_Barsburg Military Intelligence Office, how can I help you?"_

"_Yes, I believe I have information that your top brass might find important."_

"It's that sonnavabitch!" Frau shouted and pointed to the electronic. "I'd recognize his smug, nasally little voice anywhere."

Castor shushed him and searched for a way to raise the volume.

"_Your name, Sir?" _the woman receiving the call (quite sexist of the military, Castor silently thought as he raised the volume) asked.

"_I'd like to remain anonymous."_

"_Very well. This call may be being recorded for your safety."_

"That makes no sense," Castor scoffed. And was shushed by Frau not a second later.

"_I have information on war sklave number two-seven-four-one, also known as Teito Klein _–_."_

There was a violent static interference that startled the three bishops. Frau was the first to recover, looking horrified at the innocent electronic.

"How did that kid now –?"

"There's more," Ashley responded coolly, evenly, and with little emotion.

"_With whom am I speaking with?"_ It wasn't the woman anymore. This was definitely male – low, rough and authoritative; no one present recognized it.

"_I'm to remain anonymous."_

There was a pause to the tape, one that lasted long enough the bishops assumed that that was it to the conversation until, like those listening; Lance gave a _"Hello?" _to assess whether the line had been cut.

"_I am afraid to inform you that your request is out of the question. You will state your name and location."_

"_No!" _Lance sneered, sounding offended. _"If my anonymity cannot be kept, I will have to apologize but, there is nothing left to discuss."_

Again, a pause. This time the bishop's were certain that Lance, at least, had hung up. But the file continued to play, the noise of static continued to spill through the small speaker, and they all held their breath, following Ashley's example and eyed the electronic wearily.

Then, rising so softly it seemed to come out of the static itself, a…chuckle. A chuckle void of real humor, and a chill shuddered through Frau as he leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table as he stared unblinkingly at the phone, watching the seconds tick away until the chuckle turned to a laugh. Such a laugh, such a _human _laugh that did not match the hard, sadistic tone that followed.

"_Very well; have it your way… Mr. James Standfield. Or you go by Lance Griffin now, am I correct? Abandoned your poor mother to her abuses, moved in with some distant relatives in the Second District who agreed to take you in on the pretense of you turning over your grandfather's fortune to them. But at the age of eighteen, when you were to inherit it all, you murdered them, did you not? But no one could prove anything, oh no. You had it planned from the very start, their deaths. Down to the last second, not a single thing went wrong. You even managed to make yourself appear like a victim."_

"…_H-How do you know all this? Who the fuck are you?"_

"_What your soul can't seem to tell me is…how do you know of Teito Klein? Did someone…._tell _you about him? No matter, I'll find out soon enough _–_"_

A crackle and silence. Ashley couldn't stand the silence after hearing something so disturbing and shut the rest of the recording off, it being nothing but static anyway, and threw his phone back on the table, settling his uneasy stomach with some beer.

"…Crazy shit, right?" the brunet sighed, turning his bottle between his hands, unseeingly staring at it.

"That was…" Castor ran a hand through his hair, tousling his rusty-brown locks into disorder. He fought for words; anything, really – just something to say but came up blank. All he could do was stare at the phone, continuing to play with his hair just to give himself something to do.

"Who was that man?" Labrador whispered, abandoning his tea to wrap his arms around himself. He did not need to elaborate on which man he was speaking about – it seemed pretty obvious.

They thought for a moment, tried desperately to search their minds for an answer, an explanation at the bizarre information given to them, but not even the wildest of ideas would surface in their minds. They could not find a single word to say about the situation without being stupidly obvious. It was strange, uninformative, and creepy. Both men had information that they seemed to have with little to no explanation.

The real question they wanted answered: Would they ever find any of it out?

"I honestly know less now than when we started," Ashley informed the table, finally feeling his stirring stomach settle. "And there's just too many…unknown variables for any of this to start making sense. Who knows if we'll ever be able to figure any of this out; but I do know one thing," he gave a pointed look to Frau and caught the blond's attention. The man straightened his back, however uncomfortable it was, and clenched his jaw, looking stubborn and prepared for anything the brunet threw at him.

"You have to get out of here as soon as you can."

Frau opened his mouth to protest – clearly he wasn't going to leave things so open-ended, how could he? But Ashley, stubborn man that he was, crossed his arms and held those defiant blue eyes with his own hazel ones. He would not stumble because of Frau. He would not relent because the blond told him to – despite the fact he felt…fear towards the delinquent bishop. It was his pride, wounded by a failed marriage, bitter father-son relationship, and being discharged from every job he had ever worked at for his lack of control, usually fueled by the former two points, that would not allow him to display that fear.

And Frau knew that. They were at a stalemate.

"What if they go after you?" Frau spoke with some difficulty, unable to keep the concern from bleeding through his tone.

"What _if _they go after me? Doesn't matter."

"Ash –"

"You think I care?" he scoffed, dismissing it with a wave of the hand. "I stopped caring about anything after my son refused to take my name. I don't even know who you people are, they won't get much out from me even if they use their crazy-ass voodoo shit."

"_Ash _–"

"Blondie, seriously, you've got more important things to worry about. I've got, what? Ten more years under my belt before all that military testing catches up with me? And that's if I manage to avoid all the people I've pissed off," Ashley stared up at the ceiling, rocking his chair back on two legs. "I've pissed off a _lot _of people, let me tell you."

"Frau," Labrador interrupted mildly, looking to the brunet across the table from him worryingly. "As much as…I hate to agree with Miles-san, we have to leave. There's nothing we can do here – you need rest, to _heal_, and then there's the matter of Teito-kun. We'll be safe in the Seventh District – whoever that man is won't be able to reach us there."

The blond scoffed, rolling his eyes at how naïve Labrador sounded. "If I'm not mistaken, the Seventh District's been infiltrated already by –" he broke off, eyes slowly going wide as realization occurred. He glanced down at the phone sharply, quickly snatching it and searched for the damn recording. He fast-forward it, searching through the last few seconds of the recording to hear that snide low tone again.

Vertigo was back, and Frau dropped himself into his seat, too disturbed to even think twice about the pain it caused him. He placed a gloved hand to his throbbing head, slumping uneasily and closed his eyes, wishing it all to be a bad dream.

"…_mother to her abuses, moved in with some distant relatives in the Second District who agreed to …" _The recording rewound, a swirl of static and a morphed voice until Frau played it again, nearly catching the same strip of conversation as if on replay.

"Frau, what's wrong?" Castor spoke tentatively. He was at the edge of his seat, hands folded on the table, and eyed the blond worriedly, unable to keep calm when his friend clearly knew something.

Frau shook his head, however, not caring about the vertigo, and rose to his feet. He paced a bit, watching himself as he did so and faintly wondered where his shoes were… then he took the chair he had unoccupied and gripped it tightly.

He wanted to see Teito. He never wanted to see Teito as badly as he did then, but he couldn't just leave. He had everyone worried, and he was certain he wouldn't get a foot in whatever room they had confined the teen in with Labrador as a watchdog.

So, with great reluctance, he opened his mouth but snapped it shut with an audible _snap_. Frau winced when the shock agitated his throbbing temple, and attempted to sigh as some form of release. He felt a bit better, the inhale/exhale helping, and did it one more time. He wasn't feeling fantastic, as if he could suddenly jump on the table and start dancing or anything, but felt well enough to speak without sounding like a man on death row.

"That voice," he started, sighing, agitated that he just could not come out and say it. Whom was he scared of? "I've heard it before, in the church, in my head. It's that man, the one that turned Mikage into a one-winged Kor."

* * *

**A/N: No, there is no plot to this Fic, take that idea out of your heads _right now_!**

**I think it's almost been a year since I last updated…that can't be right though, can it? Damn. I am so _SORRY!_ But I just couldn't find…any inspiration to write. I know where I want this to go, but it was so **_**difficult **_**getting my ideas into words. But maybe that's just me making excuses… Sad face! (;0 ; )**

**Anyway; I wanna thank you faithful few who supported me regardless of my lack of updates. The letters of encouragement and bodily harm made this chapter possible. So pat yourselves on the back, this is dedicated to all of you~**

**More Frito is to come, don't worry, my ducklings. Now that I've started, I've written a bit beyond what you see here, so a next chapter is in the immediate future. But I make no promises when I will update – you've seen how well **_**that **_**goes down. Well, please continue to support me *bows* because I write this story for all of you! Well…I write it for my amusement but I update for you! **

**I'll see you next chapter, whenever that will be. Again, I am so, so sorry for how long its taken me to update! I'm trying to get better, honest c:**


	15. Unnecessary

**A/N: Chapters shorter than last one~ Please forgive any overlooked mistakes, I'm trying. Honest :3**

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Unnecessary**

Castor was in the kitchen, rinsing soapy suds off clean dishes. Labrador went to check up on Teito, making sure the petite teen did not slip into a drug-induced coma. Ashley was doing who-knew-what but said he would be "back in a jiffy", leaving Frau to his own devices in the living room.

The blond was sinking lazily into a recliner, attacking Ashley's phone with a certain vigor that should be reserved for an activity where such force was necessary. Like tennis.

Or hockey.

Or pounding a block of iron until it was as thin as a piece of paper.

"Die, you fucking centipede," Frau growled to the phone, mashing the keypad to stress every syllable. "_Die_."

After Frau had explained his theory, that Ayanami was the man behind the call, the blond took it upon himself to reveal all the dark, little secrets he knew about the Chief of Staff to their reluctant, though willing, housekeeper. He didn't skip any incident, insignificant or not, leading up to the whole reason why Frau had to drive miles away from home with a very sick teenager in tow.

At first, Ashley had declared bullshit and laughed, unable to believe such a story. But Frau persisted, and though he kept his identity, and that of his comrades, as a Ghost a secret, his edited version of the story began to sound more believable every time he said it.

It seemed the brunet found it easier to believe in demons than Kor. But weren't they just the same thing?

That had gotten the older man's attention, that had been what won him over, and that was why Ashley Miles now believed what many people thought of to be superstition. Frau mentally patted himself on the back for converting a nonbeliever. Usually, if someone was so arrogant as to not except that Kor, mindless drones that went around granting wishes and collecting souls, existed, he would have told them "You're funeral" and been on his merry little way.

But Ashley needed to know. Because, whether the brunet liked it or not, he was getting pulled into something that he wasn't going to enjoy. Frau, well, had hoped that revealing such a thing would put greater need to their working for a solution to their problem. However, that had been thwarted when Labrador stiffened suddenly, excused himself, and left without a backwards glance.

With him gone, the group split up, seeming to find other things more important.

Or maybe, Frau had thought bitterly, they were just trying to run away. It was petty anger that made him think this, but it was easier to hold onto than other things. While they could distract themselves by performing various tasks, and ponder over the implications of Frau's sudden theory, the blond could not have that option for himself. He was confined to the recliner in the living room, of no use because he could barely control his motor functions when he wasn't strong on homicidal rage.

And washing dishes, let alone touching the knives, while drunk on anger didn't seem like the greatest idea in the world, so he was given a pain pill and sent off to wait, as a good little boy should.

Only the medication wasn't working – barely took the edge off to the constant drumming in his skull. It was better than nothing was, he supposed.

Though, after fifteen minutes, it felt like the pain was slowly coming back full force. And, because Frau was an idiot, as everyone took the initiative to remind him, during the duration of his "resting time", he had replayed the audio file until it seemed to burn into his memory.

Now he wasn't certain of who he despised more… The Chief of Military Staff or the Prom King Rapist.

Thus the new found temperament. With the addition of an irritating headache and itchy scars, Frau took out his frustrations on the buttons of the keypad (mainly the fire button) and relentlessly blasted away tiny mushrooms and mutant centipedes.

"Woh-ho there, buddy, let up on my phone, yeah?" Ashley appeared behind the recliner, reaching over the blond's shoulder to take it back before it ended up broken. "It did nothing to you."

Frau sighed angrily but relented, resting his head against the nook of the headrest to take a moment to rest his eyes. He nuzzled into the soft material, feeling exhaustion mold up next to him like a curvaceous woman – all heat, devotion, and the promise of pleasure.

But the mental image stayed for all of a second before he pictured a smaller body, only instead of curving itself to fit Frau's shape, it curled to fit perfectly at his side like a loving, loyal pet.

A tiny little ball of warmth, fitting the curve of his hip as if it was meant to be there. A head resting against his collarbone, tiny hands grasping him for dear life, legs draped across his lap. And Frau would have his arms around the body, drawing it close, selfishly stealing body heat. Sweet…delicious…

Gloved fingers trailing the waistband of pants, tempted but not pushing – never pushing, not until they were _begging _for it. Panting and mewling so pathetically it would look so adorable. So, so _fucking _adorable it would drive him _insane_. Slowly and surely and painfully, but with the pain came pleasure, and before he could even begin to _understand_, it would mingle and mix until there wasn't a difference. Pain was pleasure and pleasure was pain, and, sadly, he wouldn't last long because those fucking _noises _had already made him so fucking _hard _that it _hurt_ just to _breathe_.

But that was alright.

Because after Round One, there's always a Round Two.

"Frau!"

Frau jolted in his seat, eyes snapping open. He hadn't realized he closed them until just then, and after a glance to the varying worried faces looking on, he felt like an idiot for not realizing it sooner. He was tired, so tired, exhausted beyond repair. The blond felt more dead than alive, yet his body was tight.

Muscles were tensed and waiting – for what?

Below the waist there was a painful throbbing – Frau swallowed thickly, feeling suffocated all of a sudden, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat with three pairs of eyes watching him. Mauve and amber and hazel. Watching. Waiting.

"What?" his voice was hoarse, deep and rough. Frau attempted to dislodge whatever was stuck there by clearing his throat and shifted again to ease discomfort. "What?"

"Are you okay?" This was Labrador, worriedly looking on from across the coffee table, obviously wanting to approach but restrained himself.

It was noticeable by their tense state that Frau had nodded off unexpectedly, then stayed out until Ashley had shouted his name. Labrador looked ready to pounce on him, give no heed to his own well being, and heal Frau with what little strength he had. The blond wasn't about to allow that so he pulled himself straight in the recliner, and despite the pain of stretching skin, leaned forward to rest his arms across his knees.

"I'm fine," Frau replied, voice finally relieved of its roughness. He tiredly rubbed an eye, holding back a yawn so it died in his throat. "Just a lil'tired, is all."

"Maybe all this can wait until tomorrow," Ashley muttered. He rubbed the back of his head, studying his socked feet against the worn-down flooring. "There's too much shit going on, and you just woke up –"

"No, no," the blond bishop shook his head, and once again regretted the decision when it made his brain feel too large for his skull. Why didn't he learn? "I told you, I'm fine. We need to figure out what to do – we can't take this guy lightly."

"This…Ayanami, or whatever," the brunet took a seat on the armrest of the recliner, passing a glance to each bishop before it rested on Frau. "What does it matter? He's one man. Albeit, one crazy-ass sounding S.O.B but still one man. He doesn't know you're here. You still have time to get out of the district and back to your home before he tries anything. There's no need to get involved."

"No _need_?" The blond sounded confused and frustrated, passing Ashley a disdainful glance before returning his glare down on his hands. "And what do you think he did to Lance? He's possessed someone before, who's to say he didn't do it again? And if he succeeded, then our covers already blown – he knows Teito's here."

"The longer we stay here, Frau," Castor sighed, running a frustrated hand through his hair as he dropped heavily onto the couch beside the recliner. "–The longer we place Teito-kun in harms way. Labrador can only keep him sedated for so long until it starts affecting his health. _Drastically_. There's no point in going after the man."

"No _point_? Fucking asshole is messing with the natural order of things!"

"As much as it pains me to say it," the russet slipped his glasses off and peered into the lenses "No one of importance was hurt."

Silence followed, quietly judging and mildly impressed. Snow fell like rain, splattering the window in sloppy drops. The drum of the heater came to life, spilling warm air to fight against the freezing temperatures outside. The house creaked, settling in on itself and under the weight of everything – everyone – inside.

Slipping his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose, Castor looked to the group coolly, silently challenging them to prove him wrong. Frau was glaring, as usual. Labrador's lips were pressed into a thin line, and Ashley was quietly observing him. They were all staring, saying nothing, but it was clear from their body language – they had not expected him to say something so callous.

"Frau, we came here for you." Castor had to break the silence – he wasn't enjoying being stared at. "You came here for Teito. You're both…_alive_," was his word of choice, unable to find anything more appropriate. "That's all that matters. There's no need to go searching for trouble."

"Okay," the blond hung his head, placing a hand over his forehead to push stray hair away from his eyes. "Let's just ignore Ayanami, for a sec. That…that –"

"_Lance_," Ashley supplied, knowing the younger man seated beside him was looking for a more offensive term to call the disturbed youth.

"He knew about the kid." There was no denying the apprehension in his tone; he could never control himself enough when the damn brat was involved. That and the blinding lights in the living room were messing with his head… "And we don't know how he knows. I'm not about to leave such a loose end untied – not while it puts Teito in danger," he finished belligerently.

Beside him, Ashley shivered, hands rubbing his arms as he looked around his living room. "Watda fuck? Draft?"

"Perhaps this can be explained easily," Labrador suggested, attempting to move along the conversation without being obvious. "If Miles-san, and I say this without attempting to offend," he sent a quick apologetic look to the brunet in question, who raised an eyebrow when his name was mentioned. "If Miles-san can hack into a heavily guarded military network, what's to say this Lance fellow didn't do the same? After all, how many AWOL sklaves do you think are wanted by the military? Teito-kun has only survived this long because he sought shelter under God's protection."

"That explanation leaves a lot to be desired," Frau muttered.

"Think about it," the lilac-haired priest rubbed a tired eye and took a seat on the couch's armrest, most of his back facing the others. "It's quite simple to identify a legal sklave by the mark they wear on their bodies. I'm sure Lance –"

"Mark?" the blond raised his head to send the smaller male a quizzical stare. "What mark?"

Labrador flushed, cheeks dusted pink, and eyes widening a tad. He fluffed the hair at his nape nervously, a hum softly vibrating in the back of his throat.

"I would have thought…you would have…seen it…by now," the gardener admitted, surprised at the revelation. Once the warmth left his face, he looked over his shoulder, gave the blond a once over, and couldn't stop the smile spreading across his lips, so he quickly looked away.

"The mark of a sklave, here," he pointed to his lower back, just off his hip. "I saw it when I was getting the boy ready for bed."

"So, is this is the story you're spinning?" Ashley started, jumping a foot impatiently – unconsciously – on the ground. "The two meet, after this one here," he jabbed a thumb in Frau's direction, "royally screws up the babysitting job. They hang out for a cup of coffee; go back to his place if what Luke said was true. And, what? The kid finds out who your little kitten is by the sklave mark, finds a reward attached to the name, and pumps him full of drug so he's less likely to escape, yet when Lance calls in to make the trade, it backfires. Ayanami obviously isn't here, otherwise I doubt we would've gone this long without a lovely visit. And it doesn't explain the prostitution – unless that's just Lance being a creep."

"Maybe Ayanami got to the sonnavabitch before I got there," Frau muttered, rubbing the gold stubble growing along his chin. "Maybe it was Ayanami who put Teito through that… There was something _off_ about that Lance kid when I was…discussing matters with him."

"Why are you trying to gloss it over?" Castor scoffed, arms folded across his chest. "You beat him up. Worse than that, you _disfigured _him with your Zaphion."

Frau merely rolled his eyes.

"Okay, so, demonic possession? That's what we're seriously going with?" The brunet shook his head, still uneasy about the religious lecture he got from Frau, of all people.

"It does make some sense…" Labrador mused quietly, though he was not enjoying what it implied.

"Are you honestly going to sit there and tell me this guy _possessed _someone else through a _phone_?" Ashley responded incredulously, unable to believe anyone could say such stupidity.

Castor shrugged a shoulder. "Stranger things have happened."

"I'm sorry," the brunet shook his head. "I'm not following."

"It doesn't matter because we are not going to get involved with the military Chief of Staff," Castor stressed the point, directing most of it towards the stubborn blond. "We are going home and that's that."

"Who died and made you red leader?" Frau nearly snarled, straightening so he was pressed against the backrest. The angle left him in direct glare of the living room lamp, but his titled position was giving him nausea and he preferred a headache to a stomachache. He closed his eyes to block out what he could of the light but kept his mind firmly anchored onto the present.

Frau was not about to have a repeat like before.

"So you're putting your needs above Teito-kun's?" Labrador asked with a hint of scornful disappointment, sadistically satisfied when the blond flinched as if struck.

"That's not what I meant –"

"And you're hardly in any position to be helping anyone anyway, let alone to take revenge or whatever it is you plan on doing," he drove the knife in deeper, ecstatic when Frau finally stopped trying to explain himself.

"So that's it then? We just run away and hell be damned?" he muttered angrily, opening his eyes to slivers to take in the gardener. He never expected to find himself on the other side of Labrador's righteous anger.

Labrador sighed thoughtfully, feeling an awful emotion settle in the pit of his stomach but he wouldn't take back what he said. It needed to be said. _Needed_. There was always the proper time and place for certain battles, and one with the Chief of Staff should not take place here. And certainly not now, not when they were all vulnerable, one way or another.

"Teito got hurt," he frowned, thought it was far from being scornful. "And staying here won't help him any. You _know _this, Frau. If…" he crossed his arms, eyes to the ground and brows furrowed as he wondered if he was making the right decision, saying what he was about to say… "If it will make you feel better… after we escort you to the Seventh District, Castor and I will come back and dig up any information we can, get a better understanding of how Lance and Ayanami fit into all of this. But that will mean we will be unable to assist you with Teito-kun and his recovery."

"I can handle it," the blond returned the frown.

"It's his needs before yours," Labrador explained, wanting to make certain this point got across. "Even if he infuriates you, even if he _hurts _you, it is about him, not you."

Frau stayed silent, digesting everything slowly. He felt a bit looked down upon, but in his condition, and the way he had handled himself the past few days, he couldn't exactly blame them. But now he felt useless – Frau was even beginning to believe that some of this was his fault. For not noticing sooner. He was a Ghost; he was supposed to have sensed something was wrong with Lance, if the boy had truly been under control of a lunatic. But he had let other priorities get in the way, mainly anger and frustration.

"I could've handled things better, yeah," Frau reluctantly admitted.

"We'll leave tomorrow – a day's rest should do you some good, Frau." Labrador rose to his feet, walking around the low coffee table to take the blond's wrist. "There's to be a heavy fall of snow – we will be able to leave around noon. Now, come on, you need rest."

Obediently, Frau followed, irked at how he was being treated like a child again. But he kept his trap shut, only because sleep sounded heavenly at the moment. His body felt sore, which did not compare to his mind. It was reeling with all the information, searching for any other possible conclusions to the clues presented. He didn't doubt that Ashley and Castor were going over alternative theories as well, back in the living room, which would all lead to the same inevitable conclusion.

Something wasn't right and Teito was in the middle of it.

_Again_.

Maybe it was a good thing they were leaving. Why go looking for trouble?

Frau was led down the hallway, again littered with happy family moments, and wondered how a life that looked so carefree and innocent could just suddenly stop, leaving a man to live in the carcass of his once happy life. It reminded him how easily things could go wrong and never be the same again. It reminded him that, instead of finding the boy safe and…sound (was that the right word to use?), he could have found a corpse instead.

After he was presented Ashley's room, something dressed in soft colors he had no doubt were picked out by the former wife, Frau was left to get comfortable on his own. He first thought of a shower but remembered the bandages. But upon laying his sights on the bed… It no longer appealed to the blond the way it had back in the living room. It was someone else's bed. _Ashley's _bed. The one he shared with his _wife_.

Ex-wife.

Whatever.

This was awkward borderline on disturbing.

Then he figured now was a good time as any to sneak a peek at Teito, see what the fuss was about.

Carefully, Frau peered through the crack between the door and threshold, finding the hallway empty with the soft sound of conversation fluttering from down in the living room. He hadn't heard the sound of somebody going into another room, and figured Labrador returned to the other two.

Slipping the door shut behind him, wincing when it made an audible _click_, Frau paused in front of it, listening for any suspicious noises. After seconds ticked and it seemed like no one was alerted, Frau went to the closest door, which was just a bit further down the hallway and painted a different color than the rest – a baby blue rather than off white – and turned the knob with great care.

There was no immediate protest to his opening the door, so Frau assumed it safe. Parting it enough to chance a peek inside, he saw the brunet lying beneath the covers of a blanket and encased almost lovingly in a coffin of vines and peony flowers. They were giant and pink, fully blossomed with delicate petals opened wide to the stale, warm air of the room. Teito was on his side, back towards the wall with knees drawn up to his chest, looking ridged and uncomfortable, even in sleep.

But to Frau, who had worried far more than what he was willing to admit, it was enough for relief to wash over him in gentle strokes.

Teito was safe. An arms length away and safe. Frau might have needed a spot of help, but he accomplished what he set out to do, which was to find Teito and bring him back home.

Only now, he was back to square one on his original plans. But Frau was prepared this time, he wouldn't let the kid frustrate him or push his buttons. He was most definitely not letting him out of his sights either. It was going to be difficult, the practice trial told him that much, but it needed to be done.

Frau slipped into the room, easing the door shut and again waited tensely when the noise the lock sliding in place made seemed louder than what it actually was. That or the teen was on those sedatives Labrador had mentioned. But if that were true, wouldn't the sedatives help ease that obvious tension from his shoulders?

Maybe Teito was just zonked out…

Frau gingerly placed himself on a stool by the bed, giving the room a passing glance before landing back on Teito. He really did look uncomfortable, despite how delicately the flowers and vines seemed to be cradling him. His skin looked paper-thin and dry; lips cracked and at places scabbed where it must have cut open. His cheeks were hollow – there was nothing childish left about Teito, just rapid aging that went awry.

It felt wrong, it _was _wrong. Teito was supposed to be a bounding ball of curiosity, of violent tendencies and rare smiles. Confined to a bed like this? Kept on sedatives like a wild animal? It made Frau hurt a bit inside. He reached out, placed a loving hand on mousy brown curls, only to take a chunk with him as he withdrew his hand.

Keeping revulsion from twisting his facial features and churning his stomach, he instead took one of Teito's small hands, one that was above the covers and placed it on his palm. With great care, he separated fingers so they took as much space on his palm as possible, faintly smiling at how _tiny _they looked compared to his.

It was a stupid thing to smile at, especially with everything else going on, but it astounded him. Amazed him. Such tiny, slender little fingers, fingernails bitten down to the nubs. They really were the hands of a child…even if the boy in question was fifteen.

It put things in perspective.

And soon that smile turned into a frown, nausea returning to keep Frau company. He knew this would happen sooner or later, but he had been silently praying it would happen later. Was it too much to ask for a brief moment of lunacy, of…relishing the fact that he still had emotions to feel, to give? But, of course not. Looking down at that hand in his, it made Frau realize that what he felt was wrong. This was a _child_. How could he have…such soiled thoughts about a _child_?

All this, it wouldn't end well. For either of them. He had to stop this; had to stop this infatuation with Teito from growing any more before Frau ended up doing something he would end up regretting.

Because he always did something he ended up regretting.

Raising those slender fingers up towards his lips, Frau placed a chaste kiss along reddened knuckles, lingering far too long that it went against his previous resolve. But, he figured, it was okay. Because he was making a promise. A promise of protection, of patience and understanding. But most important of all, a promise to never reveal his feelings, to be devout regardless of any infliction it would cause to his person. Frau would take all of Teito's pain, fear and uncertainty so the teen could be free.

Like how he used to be. He had been so beautiful then. A star so bright, so warm, it hurt to look but one just couldn't tear their eyes away. Such vibrancy, purity… Frau wanted to see that again, just once more.

One more time.

Was that selfish? As Frau ran a thumb over the teen's knuckles, he thought it might have been. But he didn't care. This much, he deserved. This much he would take. Nothing more, not again.

"…Lance?"

Frau stilled, breath caught in his lungs as he watched those fingers curl into his palm. Panic made his heart jump, but pain killed hope with a knife to the back as he realized the name that had been uttered was not his own, but of his…_rival_, in a sense.

Glancing up, he found Teito watching him with watery eyes. His first instinct was to frown and demand an explanation, but the tender, sweet smile on the teen's lips made him want to return it, so he did with one of his own. Sure, it was bitter and pained, but Teito didn't seem to notice. The teen just closed his eyes, finally allowing those tears to escape and collect on his pillow.

"I knew you'd come back," the brunet whispered, as if speaking too loudly would break the spell set over the dark room. "I knew you wouldn't leave me."

"Yeah," Frau responded despite the bitterness coating his tongue like wax. He gave Teito's hand a tight squeeze before bringing it up to kiss those fingers again. He didn't linger this time, instead he placed both their hands on the bed, moving some foliage aside to do so. "Yeah, 'course I'd come back for you."

Teito giggled, and Frau had to catch himself from gasping at the pain flaring in his chest.

"You're amazing, Lance," he continued, and Frau could only sit there and smile and nod, fighting a loosing battle with each damn word the teen spoke. "You're so wonderful and amazing, and I just love you _so much_."

Frau nodded, not knowing what else to do. What was the point of the charade? Sooner or later, Teito was bound to find out that his oh-so amazing Lance was a con-man named Frau. And that was if Frau didn't do it himself in childish spite.

Maybe it was masochistic of the blond, maybe he was looking to rectify his past actions and give Teito this sliver of happiness before it all had to come tumbling down.

Whatever it was, it was making Frau physically ill. His stomach was protesting the food he had eaten earlier, and the smile he was forcing was going to break at any moment. Frau was a bit terrified at what might happen if his mask slipped.

At the blond's lack of reply, Teito opened his eyes to stare up at the blond beseechingly, fresh tears spilling over his lashes and onto the pillow. "D-Don't you love me too? L-Labrador was lying, right? W-when h-he said th-that you didn't…that you didn't love me," the teen shuddered in a breath, pushing against his free elbow to sit up.

Frau made quick work of that and pressed the teen back into bed. He returned Teito's hand and tucked him in gently under the covers, avoiding touching the plants as much as possible.

Once that task was accomplished, he gingerly rose to his feet, feeling his back protest and wondered if all this stress was aging him faster. That thought was fleeting, and temptation too strong, that instead of leaving as he had planned on doing, Frau leaned forward to place a kiss on the teen's forehead.

He just could not _stop _himself…

Fleeing fingertips grazed the teen's cheek, jaw, until Frau pulled away by taking a step back. He pressed his back onto the door, creating as much distance as possible.

With another forced smile, he responded to the teen's previous question, feeling disgusted with himself, and even ashamed doing so. Frau didn't know who he was speaking for, but his mouth was moving, and the words felt true. For himself – for Lance. Even if Lance only used them to humor the once sklave, as Frau suspected.

"I love you; of course, I do. More than anything in the world, Teito. You, you…are…my light," he admitted quietly. Frau would've blushed, or at least smacked himself for saying something so corny, but, strangely, it made him feel better. Made him happy. "Now please, get some sleep, okay?"

"You're not staying?"

"No," the blond whispered, looking down to the carpeted floor to shake his head. "No, I'm not."

"But you always sleep next to me!"

It wasn't a particularly loud request, what with Teito sounding as if he swallowed a fistful of gravel, but there was force behind those words. Enough that Frau felt them, and he took a breath to steady himself. "You're going to be sleeping alone from now on," he spoke with as much conviction as he could muster, hardening his stern glare when the teen looked ready to protest.

There was pain now, in those hazy green eyes, and Frau put that there. Realization also seemed to come slowly, after that pain, as if the teen was beginning to see through Frau's charade.

'_Because your lovely little _Lancelot _wouldn't dare to ignore one of your requests, is that it?' _The blond priest thought bitterly, no longer smiling.

"Why?" Teito asked meekly – still hoping. "Please. _Please_, Lance. I-I'll be good! I swear, I will. W-whatever I did wrong, I'll…I'll make up for it. _Please_ _don't do this_. I can't sleep… not if you're not there."

"You'll get used to the cold."

Then he turned and left, delicately slipping the door closed. The lock _clicked _in place, and Frau released another tired breath. At the moment he looked up, he was met with a sympathetic smile, but Frau could only find it mocking. He hung his head, stared down at his feet, and tightly clenched his fists at his sides. It was moments like these that he was dependent on human comfort, on a hug or a playful punch on the shoulder, but not now. Now it felt wrong, tainted.

Why did he have to be born with the ability to _feel_? Couldn't it have died along with his mortal soul?

"Frau…" Labrador reached out a hand to the blond, tone warm and gentle, but he stopped upon seeing the hard look in azure eyes once they glanced upward. Fingers curled into a weak fist, and the gardener withdrew his hand to cradle it awkwardly against his chest. He frowned, sad. "I told you not to go in yet."

"I'm going to bed," Frau responded quickly, easily slipping past Labrador to his borrowed room, shutting the door behind him without a backwards glance.

* * *

_~Lover'sHeat~_

* * *

It was three hours past midnight when a knock came to his door. Frau made an irritated noise somewhere in the back of his throat, groaned when they knocked again. He pulled the blanket down from over his eyes to glare threateningly at the door, briefly wishing he had heat vision so he could spontaneously combust whoever was stupid enough to wake him so late at night.

Then they knocked _again _and he changed his mind.

Telekinetic powers would be better. Then he wouldn't have to get up to answer the door.

On the other hand…

"What?" he snapped, or, rather, _whined_. But it got the job done.

The door opened slowly, not having been locked, and a mess of cinnamon hair and hazel eyes peeked around the door first before the brunet slipped inside and closed the door behind him, keeping to the doorway and refusing to take a step forward.

"Sorry I woke you," he apologized, sounded sincere, so Frau forgave him.

The blond was too exhausted to hold grudges at the moment, anyway.

"You better not say something stupid like you want to share the bed," he narrowed azure eyes suspiciously, and stopped when Ashley scoffed.

"In your dreams, pal. I just wanted to talk to you."

"Can't it wait?" Frau yawned, unable to help it, and gingerly pulled himself into a sitting position. Back to the headboard, he wrapped the blanket he found in the closet around himself, too discomforted to actually get under the covers.

Ashley scratched his cheek with an index finger, keeping his sights to the window that spilled lunar light into the room so they weren't completely in the dark. "I didn't wanna ask with everyone else there."

Frau sighed, only to yawn again. "Well, shoot."

"First, are you alright?"

"I swear," he disheveled his hair, wishing he could wash it – it was oily and tangled and it was making his scalp itch. "If someone asks me that _again_ in the next three hours, Imma punch something."

"It was a fucking question, geez. Never mind, sorry for caring."

"Can you just get over here? I don't feel like talking to you when you're standing all the way over there," Frau argued, having half a mind to just ignore the brunet and go back to sleep.

Ashley had taken the first step forward unconsciously before stopping himself. Then he backtracked, and seemed to debate what to do next. Frau could see him battling with himself, and he silently prayed the man would just turn around and leave – he was just _so tired_. But after a sigh, Ashley approached and sat on the opposite side of Frau by the foot of the bed.

Damn.

"Why –" the brunet sighed, shoulders slouching and looking just as tired as Frau felt. "Why do you try so hard?"

It obviously took much for the man to ask, he instantly looked regretful doing so, and Frau could understand that. Ashley Miles prided himself in his independence, strength – whatever. And coming to the blond, who, to the brunet, was just a child, obviously took a lot of courage and determination.

That was why Frau responded with a clever "Meh?"

Hazel eyes narrowed into a glare. "Forget it," he bit before moving to stand.

"C'mon, man," Frau groaned before cradling his aching head in the palms of his hands. "It's really late, I'm really tired, my brain is _killing _me, and I'm seriously talking through my ass here – I don't even remember what I said when you first walked in here. Spell it out for me – clean and simple."

Ashley fumbled for words, a first experience for Frau to witness that he felt himself waking up a bit. Finally, the brunet seemed to sigh resignedly, probably giving up on tact, and faced Frau full on, sitting cross-legged on the bed to see him better.

"I'm talking about the kid – Teito. Why are you trying to hard? I get the kid's not right, but there are places for people like that. Facilities with trained professionals who will see that he get better. Why stress yourself out?"

Frau raised an eyebrow. Of all the things to be asked, and woken up for in the middle of the goddamn night, he hadn't expected that.

"No offense, Ash, seriously, but why the hell do you goddamn care?"

The brunet gave an amused scoff, twisting his neck to look away. "It's 'cause you're a moron; parental instincts kicked in or something."

"That's not it."

Ashley sighed this time, turning to look up at the ceiling. "Did you know I wanted to paint the ceiling red? Like…a burning orange-red. A cool red."

Frau was fighting the urge to slap his forehead. Instead, he made a noncommittal sound, wondering where the hell the brunet was going with this.

"The wife had said no, because she didn't want to stare up to see a burning sky, so that's why I had to paint it purple – ripe grape purple, or some stupid shit… Anyway. So, now I'm stuck with a purple ceiling, fucking _purple_. I don't even _like _purple. I haven't seen a goddamn sky that's purple… Now, if I knew, back then, what I know now, I would've fought harder for my red sky. Then I wouldn't be stuck with _purple_."

_There was something…_ Frau furrowed his brows, considering Ashley critically. The man didn't look any different from the first time they met – so why did it feel like a different person was sitting there talking to him?

"Are you trying to tell me something, Ash?"

"Nah," the brunet shrugged a shoulder, briefly glancing down to Frau before turning away. "Just hate this room, is all. Well," he flashed the bishop a grin, clapping the younger man's shoulder, "sleep tight. I'm making waffles in the morning, if you're up."

Frau's jaw dropped. "Wha– ?" But Miles was already jumping off the bed, stretching his arms above his head until something popped in place. Then he sighed contently and approached the door. "What the fuck, _wait_!" he shouted as loud as he dared, which was basically just a hiss filled with venom. It captured the man's attention however, so the blond figured that was good enough.

"What's up, Blondie?" an eyebrow raised, innocently curious.

Frau almost gagged.

"You did not wake me up for _that_," though he wanted to sound indignant, it came out more like a desperate question.

Regardless, Ashley just shrugged a shoulder. "Hey, why do your friends think you're on drugs?"

It was official - there was something weird going on. Either Frau was having one fucked up dream, or Ashley couldn't handle his liquor. The problem was that there were flaws to either option, leaving Frau with the reasonable assumption that they just entered the twilight zone.

"I'm…not?" the blond replied uncertainly, not knowing how to handle the situation. He was running on no sleep, stress, and curiosity. "I…I used to…do them," he found himself sharing, even though he really didn't want to. And Frau _really _didn't want to.

Those memories were painful and distorted, and often not real, he would find out. But the scars they had left behind were, even if they weren't physically embedded on his skin. It was easier to pretend that year had never happened.

"Did they ask you to ask me that?"

"No, but they sounded worried – saying you might relapse if tempted, what with everything going on," he flippantly waved his hand as if to swat away that "everything" in his sentence.

Frau frowned, no longer amused, at all, with the way things were proceeding. "Then why did _you _ask?"

"Mainly curiosity," the man admitted with a shrug.

"And the minor part of that?"

Ashley paused, whether to consider the question or find a way to shift the conversation, Frau wasn't certain. But he didn't like it.

"Life is short, ya know," Ashley began, tone as casual as if they were talking about waffles again. Frau could only blink stupidly as the brunet continued. "And shit happens all the time – completely unannounced and can change everything you've ever known. Just make sure you're putting your time to good use, yeah?"

With that, Ashley gave a curt nod before allowing a hesitant smile tug at the corner of his lips. Then he turned and left without another word.

It was amusing, to Frau, the things the brunet had said. Life _was_ short – Frau died at fourteen. [1] Completely unannounced shit that could change everything he's ever known – he woke up after dying at the mercy of a demonic scythe as the new host for the Ghost Zehel. [2]

But Ashley didn't know any of that – didn't know how close to home those words hit for the blond. So that left Frau wondering what, exactly, was the meaning behind those words. It took too much energy to figure out, and with an exhausted sigh, the bishop settled himself back in bed, waiting for dawn to break.

* * *

_~Lover'sHeat~_

* * *

Frau found himself back in the room Teito was using. After Ashley's cryptic messages, Frau couldn't find sleep again. It had been a miracle, or a combination of stress and exhaustion, that had allowed the blond to fall asleep in the first place, but asking for a second miracle was pushing it.

Pity was his company as he sat on the ground, back to the door, and stared through the twists of vines and flowers at the rise and fall of the teen's chest. It wasn't pity for the brunet but for himself, for being so damn helpless when it really mattered. What good was his strength now? He couldn't beat this illness into submission, threaten it to leave Teito alone, so what good was it now?

All he could do was watch over the boy sleep, if he really was asleep this time, and make sure nothing disturbed the teen until it was time to go. The peony flowers were working, at least, which helped ease Frau's mind if only a bit. The delicate petals were shriveled and browning, having taken the poison pulsing through Teito into themselves and were dying because of it.

It wouldn't heal the teen completely, but it would be enough that the first stages of withdrawal wouldn't be too difficult. Because that's what the peony flowers did, they healed. Labrador knew this, that was why Labrador was using them. But the problem was that it was too easy, too easy for the teen to fall back on old habits when he could wake up the next day feeling only slightly nauseous rather than the gut-churning, doubling-over-in-pain discomfort he was _supposed _to feel.

Teito needed to understand the repercussions on his actions, that was the only thought that allowed Frau sanity as he put the teen through something akin to torture. But after shit hit the fan, what was Frau supposed to do? The teen was mixing things, things that shouldn't be mixed at all. They would kill him first before he could make any progress at all.

_Histani _would typically take a heavy dosage to do extensive damage, that was why they were often taken in cute little pills. But _H_'s child, a more potent, purer drug, _Hindrian_, was like a swarm of locust, laying waste to anything it could come in contact with. It ate away at muscle and internal organs, thinned the blood and damaged brain function. _H _only attacked the nervous system, altered the sense between pain and pleasure, _Little h _was like a transmitter on steroids, connecting specifically to those same frayed nerves. [3]

So even if Teito was dying from the inside out, he would only find pleasure in it. He _could only _find pleasure in it.

It made Frau sick to his stomach. The teen could have been dying right before his eyes but Frau wouldn't have been able to tell, because Teito himself wouldn't have registered something was amiss with his own body.

And by the way the peony were drying out, the teen had been closer to death than what the blond had anticipated. Castor had mentioned something about a fast acting drug, but when had the teen taken something like that without Frau knowing?

"_There was lots of time," _he thought bitterly, scrubbing his face with a gloved hand.

Frau shuddered quietly, unable to help himself, and drew his knees up to his chest. He sighed dejectedly, dropping his forehead onto his propped knees. The blond wondered if it was normal to want to rip his hair out, to shake the stupid boy until he came to his senses.

How easy it would have been to keep all this from happening. So, _so _simple. Frau should have seen this coming, should have been paying more attention to the brunet. The signs had been there, flashing in bright neon colors for the blond to see, but he hadn't. He had looked the other way.

_Why _had he looked the other way? _Why_? Teito was supposed to be his responsibility, unspoken, yes, but Frau swore to himself to take care of the stupid brat. He just saw so much of himself in those curious gem-toned eyes, and he was drawn in blindly, stupidly, so _why_? _Why, why, why, why, why_?

Frau stopped himself from throwing his head back against the door – no noise, he shouldn't be making any noise.

He had wanted to protect the teen, protect that pure innocence. This world was vile, and cruel, and utterly sadistic – after a long days work, that darkness stuck to him like tar, making walking in the light so difficult. It clung to him selfishly, pulling him back, _dragging _him back. Oh, he fought, but that only made things worse. On the tips of his fingertips he could feel the warmth, the warmth that every human was allowed to feel, everyone but him. And no matter how much he struggled, how much he fought, and fought, and _fought_, all he could do was caress that warmth with his fingertips.

It was never enough. It made the darkness colder.

Then his _light _in the form of a human boy, something he could silently cherish, a small candle to warm him, fell from the sky. His wish had been granted, Frau's desperate wish – and whenever he came from a job after that, he had that small candle keeping him company. How he had survived before without it, Frau would never be able to understand.

And he didn't want to readjust himself to not have that light anymore.

He would fix this. Frau would make things right again. He would atone for his neglectful behavior, even if his light would never shine as brightly as it did before. He would still love it though, and protect it. All because of that possessive pronoun.

_Mine_.

Teito was _his_. Hell be damned what the world thought, or the teen in question for that matter, Teito was _his_. Frau sternly held to his promise: the teen would never know about this possessive pronoun Frau used for the boy. But if anyone, and Frau meant _anyone_, tried to take Teito away without his consent, they would rue the day they crossed a Ghost.

In that sense, who owned who?

"I fight Warsphiles," the blond muttered under his breath, looking past his knees to that sleeping form showered in dead peony petals. "I kill Kor by the dozens," his voice was heavy with emotion, something that did not reach the coldness of his eyes or the impassiveness of his expression. Everything was tightly sealed in an unbreakable box. Only, how long until Teito broke the seal?

Because if someone was going to do it, it would be him.

"How can you defeat me so easily without even trying?"

* * *

[1] I don't know what age Frau really died… But he looked young when, ya know, Teito saved him from Verloren's Scythe in that astral plane…place. But yeah. I figured it was early teens.

[2] I think it's supposed to be Sichel (the proper translation or whatever), but I have Zehel in previous chapters so I'm stickin' wit it.

[3] Two main drugs Dev made up for the sake of this story, and what it revolves around, really. There are more, obviously, but I don't think I really need to get into those…do I?

**A/N: GODDAMMIT! We were supposed to be in the Seventh District already ( T _T) Frau just had to go and be Emo about it all, didn't he? *sighs* When did HE become the main character anyways? I was suppose to make you guys feel sorry for Teito…but I think I just blew it with him confusing Frau for Lance. WHY AM I SO EVIL? Dx**

**Anyway.**

**I'm glad everyone liked Ashley :3 Even though I had said I was going to get rid of him as soon as I could, you guys just seemed to want to see a bit more of him so I couldn't help myself… And by "get rid" I don't mean "kill off" *cough*KaoriKuni*cough***

**Finally, sorry to disappoint, but this is as far as our little plot arc goes :) I told you guys~ I've got Labrador and Castor on the job, _aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand_ this story isn't about them so it doesn't matter anyways! I might go into detail later, ya know, about what they "found" but I doubt I will make it as dramatic as you guys want it to be. Sorry~~ *hearts, hearts***

**Thanks for all the love guys. Glad to know that, even after a whole YEAR of not updating, I still have faithful fans. Makes me happy :3 YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! Internet hugs all around~**


	16. Paradise Lost

**A/N: The chapters keep getting shorter ( ._ .); Any mistakes/errors - I'm sorry, I'm doing my best. Point any out if they annoy you enough.  
**

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Paradise Lost**

A battle.

War.

With himself.

Against the world.

The land and sky.

Against people.

And their vices.

Their emotions.

His emotions.

The war.

The battle.

Inside himself.

And he was losing…

Everything was twisted and warped, his morals and sense of reality. Time was no longer a constant measurement, _sensations _were. They governed his every move, decided for him the future state of his mind. Good days, bad days – they didn't exist. Just good sensations, bad sensations, that's all there was.

And the sensations only Lance could give him. He enjoyed those. _Fed _on them. The way the blond boy touched him, violated him with that damn sinful mouth; it was rough and quick and so damn full of _heat_. Burning and passion and love.

There was love.

Within the tangle of sheets, slick with sweat and pheromones, Lance was the first to say it.

"_I love you, Mikage."_

That was all he wanted.

All he needed.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

Love.

He had searched for it in his youth.

Lost it in a blaze.

And every time he hoped.

Someone gave him a reason not to.

So he gave up.

Threw in the towel.

This battle was not worth fighting.

There was love, drugs, and sex.

And that became Teito's new view on life.

* * *

_~Lover'sHeat~_

* * *

Everything felt wrong. From the way he opened his eyes to the feel of air in his lungs. This body was not his own, someone must have switched it when he wasn't looking…

Pain lurked beneath the surface of his skin, but, for the moment, all Teito could feel was light and strange. Thus the something "wrong". Just laying on the bed was not supposed to grant him any sensations. He was to be numb to the world, mind impossibly blank until his services were called upon.

Then he could feel.

Otherwise there was no need for it. So why was he feeling now?

Green eyes roamed the room, taking note of the childish toys scattered about. Miniscule trains, airplanes, a ball and a bat, a few stuffed animals, and a tower of building blocks. The wallpaper was of tiny dinosaurs, glow-in-the-dark stars littered the ceiling.

In an earlier time, Teito would have scoffed at the inaccuracy of their placement – couldn't they at least make an _attempt _to place the Big Dipper? – but now, now he had trouble differentiating between one star from the other. They all sort of swirled together, creating one giant mass of dull yellow-green that only caused his head to ache.

Desperately hoping this all to be a nightmare, Teito shut his eyes, drawing his aching, pain-laden body tightly into his arms, and counting down from five – which took him four attempts to accomplish – the teen slowly opened his eyes, expecting a different, more familiar room.

If only his life worked out that way.

Around him, the large pink flowers seemed to shudder, swaying their delicate petals in a stationary breeze. There was nothing Teito could do as thick brown vines snaked around him, embracing him, and stole away his warmth. Even through his clothing and blankets, their tiny thorns found a way to attach themselves, sucking greedily from him until there was hardly anything left.

And he hated it.

Hated the cold and everything it represented.

There was no companionship in such a freezing climate, no tenderness or love. Just hard ice, killing anything it comes in contact with and making it suffer until the very end.

A strangled noise escaped Teito's throat and tears suddenly began bubbling in the corners of his eyes as a fierce sensation wrapped around his chest too tightly. He had forgotten about pain…

"Teito-kun," a voice so soft, so pure, called out to him in concern, the face belonging to that voice soon filling the teen's vision as observant mauve eyes watched him carefully. "Where does it hurt?"

It was a heartbeat later before Teito's lip twitched and pulled into a snarl, green eyes narrowed into a heated glare.

"_You_," he accused, instantly remembering everything this man had put him through. Both physical and mental assaults – Teito had to endure it all from this man, and he had the _audacity _to pretend to be concerned for the teen's well being?

Before, back in his years of naiveté, Teito had thought this man to be the embodiment of long-suffering and limitless compassion, but the man had shown his true colors. Now Teito felt like a fool believing it for as long as he did.

"Leave me the fuck _alone_," he hissed, wishing, not for the first time, he had enough strength to lift up his hand to swipe at that fake look of concern on Labrador's stupid smug little face.

"_Teito-kun_…" the man breathed, eyes dipping down to the floor.

"Why are you doing this?" he shouted as loud as he could, though his strangled voice barely carried across the small room. "_Why_?"

"We've had this discussion before– "

"_What _discussion? That was no discussion! You all but threatened to kill my boyfriend– !"

"He's not your boyfriend, Teito! He never loved you!" Labrador snapped, unadulterated anger coating his tongue and making it snap as sharp as a whip. He flinched at his own tone, and ashamedly turned away. "I'm sorry for raising my –"

"Stop lying! Lance loves me! He told me so himself!"

"He lied, Teito-kun," Labrador pleaded with a tone lower than the angry teen. "He was just telling you what you wanted to hear– "

"You can't take this from me!" Teito cried out, clutching at the sheets on the bed to keep himself grounded. He didn't understand why it hurt, why there was pain. But it _did_ hurt, and there _was_ pain, and he couldn't cope.

He didn't know how to handle so much…_emotion._

"Lance loves me! _Me_!"

Teito choked, a sob catching in his throat that caused him to cough suddenly. At first it was a quick jump of the lungs, then he found he couldn't stop. It stole his air and burned his throat raw, shaking his brittle form until he forcefully curled himself into a tight ball.

Labrador rushed to him, catching his shoulder and attempted to push him onto his back but Teito fought back. Regardless of the violent coughing, with yellowed eyes veined red, he glared and swiped at best he could without fully letting go of himself.

"Teito-kun, _please_– "

"I need him and he needs me," he shouted around a handful of coughs, pain flaring and spreading. "You can't keep him from me – he loves me, he _does_. I know he does. He told me. He _told me_. He told me."

"…are you trying to convince yourself of that fact, Teito-kun?"

In a fit of fury, the teen reached out to claw the man's face, but the air might as well have been made out of molasses. Teito moved to slow, Labrador too quick, and the gardener was well out of reach by the time he fully extended his arm.

"It's all _his _fault," the teen hissed, arm dropping to the bed where it was immediately wrapped in those dying vines. He coughed a few more times, though these were less extreme, more controlled, and still felt painful in his throat.

"He just couldn't stand the thought of us being together; I'm right, aren't I? He just couldn't let me be happy! Well you can just tell Frau– ," pushing back on his elbows, Teito slowly rose but the heavy blanket and plant life kept him from going to far "He can go fuck his mother in _hell_– ."

The slap was completely unexpected.

One second Labrador was staring at Teito with some form of pity, the next his hand was raised and striking down with barely controlled rage darkening mauve eyes. It was quick and snapped Teito's head off to one side, the teen staring blankly in front of him with a growing red stain filling his cheek.

Labrador attempted to control his breathing, hand still raised.

Teito just fought to remember how to breath again.

"_Never_," the gardener hissed, hand clenching into a tight fist that tangled into the front of Teito's shirt, dragging the boy upward so they could lock eyes. "_Never _will you speak about Frau like that in my presence again. That man scarified _so_ _much _for you – all for _you_ without expecting an ounce of consideration; don't you dare scorn his concern for your well being. He cares _deeply _about you– "

"Ha!" Teito barked, slackening into his oversized sleeping shirt to hang there limply. The shock of being hit had finally ebbed away, leaving only mocking anger behind, something that filled him wholly and blissfully.

It helped make the pain go away.

"He _cares_? He _scarified_? Did you know, that with one hand, he could crush my windpipe if he wanted to? Want to know how I know?" Teito smirked at the shock clearing away the rage in the bishop's eyes. "First hand experience. So close he was to killing me – just a _little bit _more pressure and… well, he probably would've just thrown me out into the wilderness, let the animals have a go at me."

"…no."

"And did he sacrifice anything when he walked out and _left me in that damn room_? He didn't care! I was just a damn _mess _he had to clean up! And when it got too difficult, he _gave up_.

"I don't know what kind of fucked up pedestal you've got that fucker up on but he doesn't deserve it! He's a selfish, cruel, heartless sonnavabitch and I was damn well happy when he finally left me alone! I had finally found someone who _loves me _and Frau j-just– " Teito bit on his lip, refusing the tears to fall. He would _not _cry. Not in front of this man, and definitely not for Frau.

"He just didn't want me to be _happy_ so _of course _he kidnapped me– "

"Lance was the one who kidnapped you!" Labrador snapped out of his stupor, resigning himself to take control of the situation by force if he had to. "Lance abused the trust you placed on him – that boy _never loved you_."

"STOP SAYING THAT!"

"It's the truth! Why can't you allow yourself to _see that_," Labrador shamelessly pleaded, desperate for the mental image Teito created for Lance to finally crack and shatter. The image was false, Lance nothing more than a pretty mirage, but Teito seemed transfixed on worshipping the damn man like an idol.

All for love.

"Because it's all I have left! It's all…It's all…" Teito sniffed, angrily growling at himself as he swiped his fist beneath his clogging nose. "Frau doesn't love me. You and Castor hate me. I killed Mikage. Kurena was forced to suffer because of me. Father's gone. I don't even remember my own parents! So _fuck you_. _Fuck you and your fucking god_. Fuck all of you! I will live my life as I damn see fit – even if that means hanging onto something that doesn't exist!"

Glare turned icy, Teito smacked the gardener's arm away, dropping onto the bed with a slight bounce. His matted hair fell over his face, looking wild but making him appear pathetically helpless as he continued to glare with tears threatening to spill.

"My delusions are better than this _shit stain _of a reality. And I've never been saner in my life."

"Teito-kun…"

Teito closed his eyes and turned away from that pleading voice, giving a soft sigh that released all his frustrations and fear. From the center of his chest, right where he assumed his heart would be, a kindling warmth bubbled into life.

The warmth, so generous and kind, pushed through his veins and chased away his cold. It tingled his skin, made him shiver with delight. So pleasant, so tender, Teito almost started crying again. He could breath easier now, his head no longer throbbed.

His heart no longer hurt.

Everything was blissful ignorance, and it felt like he was on a fluffy white cloud sailing across an endless blue sky. Serenity. Beauty. He was like a starved child, soaking it all in. He took meals from the sunlight, water from the rain. The air was his friend, and the cloud his security.

"Teito-kun?"

Teito turned, quirked an eyebrow at Labrador, and quietly asked with a voice oddly raw "Huh? Labrador? What are you doing here?"

Teito certainly had not expected to be paid a visit by _Labrador _of all people. It seemed strange – he wasn't well acquainted with the bishop. And how had they found him anyways? He was sure Frau would have given them some lie as to the teen's sudden "disappearance".

But good riddance, right?

Without Teito, the Seventh District was safe from prosecution from the military and the teen was free to start a new life. Win-win, right?

Right?

But Labrador merely sighed as if his will to live left with that exhale, and staggered back until his back hit the wall, the shock visibly rippling through him and bringing him to his knees on the ground, head titled back onto the wall to helplessly stare up at the ceiling.

"No…" the gardener whimpered, bottom lip trembling as crystalline tears caressing pale skin until they disappeared beneath the collar of his sweater. "No; Lord, please, stop letting this child suffer so… Please, I beg of you. _Please_."

"Labrador?" Teito's voice, laced with concern, was barely louder than the squeak of a mouse. "What's wrong– ?"

The door to the room swung open, exposing a vindictive Castor in the doorframe. His angry amber eyes passed over Teito, regarded him in less than a second before they settled upon the bishop collapsed to the ground, petite form shaking against sobs. The russet's anger seemed to darken then, sharpen, and thin lips pulled into a small snarl.

"H-How long– ?" Labrador began to ask, working against his body to stop the flow of tears and the tremors. He swiped uselessly at his eyes – Castor already saw them anyway.

"Long enough," the russet clipped. He reached down and dragged the gardener onto his feet none-too-gently. "This is borderline on masochistic. I'm not allowing you to do this any longer."

"B-But Frau– !"

A flare of pain shot through Teito like a bullet before sizzling out into oblivion, in its wake sweet, caring warmth. He wasn't understanding the conversation, but he found that he particularly didn't care.

Teito found he didn't particularly care much about anything.

"Frau has his own form of protection – you have none. _You _can't help him."

The significant look Castor cast Teito's way went completely over the teen's head.

"Only Frau."

"But– !"

"You've done all you could." Castor's tone softened, as well as his expression. He took both of Labrador's shoulders, gently rubbing his thumbs across the prominent bones there. Briefly, his eyes flickered back to Teito and over the graveyard of withered, dried flowers and vines before falling back onto the lilac-haired priest. "You've done all you could, Labrador. Come with me. Please."

Emerald eyes watched as Castor took Labrador's hand and led the man out the door, closing it behind them without a second glance at the teen. Teito continued to stare at that door, blinking only once his eyelids quivered in anticipation for a blink.

When his gaze flickered unsteadily to the right, he noticed the wallpaper.

Little dinosaurs.

"…where am I?"

* * *

_o.7.g.h.o.s.t_

* * *

A few hours later Teito was revisited by Castor.

Only this time, the russet was smiling. Smiling plenty. It unnerved the teen, somewhere in the back of his mind, but that's where it stayed and Teito just watched that smile as if it was the most common thing in the world.

Even if every other word out of that man's mouth was pure gibberish, and the few words Teito did understand made no sense in context, Teito nodded and went along with much of what the man was asking of him.

Mostly.

"You're moving me…where?" Teito asked after Castor helped him to sit up, and was currently brushing away dead flower petals from his person.

"To safety, of course."

"…I don't understand."

Castor pulled off Teito's shirt and replaced it with a thermal long-sleeve. The teen huffed at the struggle his new shirt put up, but managed to push his arms through the sleeves and fix it across his front. His head swam a bit by all the movement, but somehow he kept his wits about him.

"What's going on?"

Beyond his room, there was noise, lots of noise, noise that made Teito wonder what was going on. But he didn't question, his mind kept on the single track of putting on the clothes Castor threw his way. Warm slacks, sweater, socks, and knee-high fur-lined boots.

When clothing stopped flying, and Castor was packing other things into a small duffle bag, Teito remembered his previous question and asked it again.

"Er," Castor stalled a bit by pointlessly pouring more concentration on his task. Once he had the bag zipped – it really was a small thing – he turned to Teito, groaned somewhere in the back of his throat, and turned toward the door. "Lance ran into some trouble. He asked us to get you to safety."

"Lance did?"

The teen asked with such joyous wonderment, filled with unadulterated adoration, Castor had to suppress a flinch. "Y-Yes, of course."

"But where is he? Is he safe?"

"He'll…meet you there, is what he said. Yes, that is what he said. Come," he held the door open for the brunet, small bag hanging off his shoulder. "We need to get going now."

Teito raced out of the room, winded by the time he turned into the living room. He hung onto the doorframe, gazing out to the open front door while his hand trembled on his chest. White flurry rushed past the darkened sky, coating everything in a thick, frosty layer. There was movement outside, which fascinated the teen, and once more he was rushing to the commotion.

Would he find Lance there?

Would Lance take him somewhere far away where they could be together?

Teito hoped so. He so _desperately _hoped so. He couldn't take any more of this separation. How long since he last saw those beautiful eyes and that charming smile?

_Too _long, that's how long. His heart yearned for the one he loved, cared for – together again, he just couldn't wait. Teito was sick and tired of Labrador and Castor and the things they represented. Like the past he couldn't atone for, the friend he couldn't save, the people he hurt, killed, the god that cast him aside and left him to rot.

The man that broke his heart.

But that didn't matter now! Because, outside, _outside_, he would finally be in that warm embrace he craved. Outside was Lan–

"Frau," Teito whispered, trembling hand caught on the doorframe as grassy-green eyes widened in terror.

The man stood tall and imposing as always. Occupying space and demanding more of it. The air felt colder, the world seemed darker. He was a demon, stealing the innocence of the world and plunging it into damnation. With that shock of blond hair, those pale soulless eyes, the handsome face and perfect everything…

Why was he here?

Teito didn't realize the question had left his lips until he felt the shock of cold air tingled his teeth and left them chattering. Behind him, Castor took his shoulder and pulled him back into the house. The teen attempted to glance over his shoulder, fearing the possibilities of keeping his back to Frau, but Castor was forcing him into a coat, and scarf, and gloves, and fuzzy little earmuffs.

"W-why…?" The words wouldn't leave his mouth – the tremors wouldn't leave his body. Teito felt like running but he was frozen in place, too scared to move. If Frau was here, what did it mean?

If Frau was here, did that mean that his dream, about blood and screaming and fire…?

Was that true? Did it happen?

Did Frau really –?

"_Frrrraaauuu!_"

With surprising strength, Teito shoved away Castor, sending the unsuspecting bishop backward to crash into the ground, skull making audible impact with the hardwood floor. That didn't stop Teito though.

Next to the door was a standing coatrack; Teito took that, swinging it by the time he stepped out the door.

By the swing, the path was clearly visible. It was to make impact around the side of Frau's face, more clearly along the temple and ear, but the man in question reacted to the attack. There was a loud _thwack! _before things could settle down and be properly analyzed. The blond had raised his arm, stopping the blow, the other hand reaching out to catch the impromptu weapon from striking again.

For a painstakingly long moment, Teito feared he inflicted no damage, but, slowly, the pale hairline began soaking with red, and the teen could barely distinguish the connection between the injury and one of the stained hooks on the coatrack.

And as if to further clarify this to the teen, Frau flinched and tilted his head further away, revealing the mess Teito had created. On the blond's fair skin, a painful red bruise spread from beneath his hairline and out towards his eye, the tip of his ear was bloody beyond recognition, the sticky liquid dribbling down onto his neck.

With a forceful tug, Frau pulled the coatrack from the teen's grasp and flung it out towards the snow-covered lawn where it sunk deep and vanished from sight. Icy blue eyes locked onto Teito's, and now without a weapon, the teen stiffened, hands fisted and preparing for a fight.

Teito couldn't read Frau's expression as the man began advancing towards him, so he did the only thing he could, he began to walk back into the house at the same pace. Inside he could find another weapon. He wasn't an idiot – against Frau, hand to hand, Teito had the disadvantage without his Zaphion, especially in his current condition.

Frau had strength, height and weight.

Teito had flexibility, tactics, and agility.

Those were useless now when a five meter sprint left him winded.

But, in the end, even backtracking into the house had been pointless. Frau reached Teito before the teen had a chance to look around for something easy to pick up and swing. He was caught by the collar of his coat and dragged forward. For a second the thought of kicking Frau in the crotch began forming in the teen's mind, but he watched stupidly as his scarf was tucked into his coat and the zipper pulled all the way up.

Face still impassive, Frau took Teito's hood and flipped it onto the boy's head before walking out the door and into the chilling air. Dumbfounded, Teito followed and hung by the doorway, watching as if he had been a bystander all along.

"F-Frau!" This was Labrador, torn between the bleeding blond and the russet who had not yet moved from his place on the floor.

"I'll look this one over," the brown-haired man, stranger to Teito, informed the flustered gardener, placing a hand on a slender shoulder and directing the bishop back into the house. Hazel eyes watched the petite man go, flickering over to Teito when Labrador squeezed through the occupied doorframe, seemed unconcerned with what he found, and advanced towards the blond strapping a bag onto an unwilling hawkzile.

"How many fingers do you see?" Ashley prompted only to have his hand swatted away.

"I'm _fine_," Frau growled. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder to the teen before turning away. "It's just a bump."

"That's alotta blood for a bump…" Their tones were neutral, controlled, and nonchalant. "Imma get ya something to clean it up – make sure you still have your ear intact. Ya gonna be – "

"I said I'll be _fine_," the bishop snapped, eyes narrowed into a glare. He forced the ropes a bit to tightly and the hawkzile screeched in protest. "Just drop it. I don't need anything."

"You don't hear ringing, you don't feel nauseous – "

"I'm getting nauseous by this conversation," he growled. "Go see if Lab needs any help. I'll finish here."

"You at least need to clean it –"

"No!" Frau finally exploded, body tensing and ready to strike. Ashley wisely took a step back. With a deep breath, the blond forced himself to control his anger. Control it. Push it down and shut it tight. Gone. "Honestly, I'm fine. If I wasn't, I would say so, but I'm not so I'm fine."

"Are you forcing this for yourself, or for the boy?"

Another glance in Teito's direction, and there was something there that the teen did not have the appropriate tools to decipher. Then it was back to Ashley, expression controlled again. "Get lost, yeah, mollycoddler?"

"Fine, fine," the older brunet sighed before turning away. He fluffed the hair on his nape, forced to trudge through snow to get to the front of his house. He eased past Teito without a passing him a glance and made himself useful elsewhere, but not where he had been instructed to go. He breezed past Castor and Labrador, the former repeatedly attempting to escape from the latter's over protectiveness, and soon Teito found himself disinterested.

The teen turned back to Frau, watching the man silently work, all the while wondering how the blond received such a frightful blow to the side of his head. It looked painful – there was so much blood, and his skin was starting to stain a deep purple. The blond really needed to see someone to make sure no permanent damage had been done.

"Frau?" He quietly asked, shuffling behind the threshold to timidly hide when Frau stopped whatever he was doing to turn to Teito. At the raised eyebrow the blond sent his way, Teito looked away shyly. "Um, are you okay? That injury looks bad – did someone do that to you?"

The teen missed the pained smile, so beautiful and honest, that stretched Frau's lips, and, instead, when he turned to see the man's expression, received a bored look as if the teen's concern was not wanted and a nuisance.

Instead of responding to Teito's question, he turned back and packed the last few things, along with the bag Teito saw Castor stuffing full of clothing.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked, some strange part of him wanting to hear Frau's voice.

But at that moment, everyone began pouring out of the room and into the midday flurry. They talked amongst themselves, and Teito could follow not one conversation. Then he was being summoned, and as he struggled through the snow, he came upon two hawkziles strapped with supplies – Frau on one, Labrador in the other.

"You three have a safe trip, yeah?" The oldest member of the group spoke above the rush of wind.

"Labrador," Castor, standing beside Ashley, looked to the gardener with a mixture of concern and anger. "We'll expect you back in four days – if you take longer than that, we'll be forced to go looking for you."

Labrador merely smiled and nodded, slipping a full-helmet over his wavy locks and settling himself properly onto his hawkzile, which he gently encouraged awake.

"Frau, keep to the ground roads – you'll be less likely spotted by any military vehicles that way –"

"I know, Cass." The blond started up his own vehicle as well. "I've done this before."

"Just promise me you'll be careful," the russet wearily responded, rubbing his aching head in the process. "About everything."

"Someone's concerned about me," the blond teased by flashing a grin. Casually, he lifted his arm and brushed his coat against his injured ear and hairline, smearing the blood there and slicking some of his hair back. Then the full-helmet was slipped in place, face guarded from the elements and worried eyes, and Frau winced in peace. "Just make sure you find my hawkzile, yeah? I poured alotta TLC into that one."

After that, Teito was finally acknowledged. Frau held out a gloved hand to the teen, expectantly patient, and Teito stared at it wearily. He hadn't known he was supposed to go as well. His life was here, though – his boyfriend and his work.

Teito didn't even know where they were going. Would they come back? Would they bring him back after a few days? He couldn't be apart from Lance for a few days. His body craved Lance's and all the things he gave Teito.

But Frau was waiting…

Patiently waiting. Even with the stupid visor and helmet hiding his facial features, Teito could feel the weight of those icy blue eyes pleading with him, tempting him, to take his hand. Even after everything that stupid man had put him through, the anger and the pain, Teito always found himself forgiving. Because it was Frau – no other reason than that.

And if he took that hand, Teito knew something was going to change. He may not know where he was, or why he was here, or who that strange person was that seemed to be deciding what to make of Teito.

Or why Labrador and Castor were here. Or why Frau was here on a hawkzile, silently beseeching Teito to run away with him–

Was that what the blond was doing? Asking Teito to decide between Lance and Frau? No– of course Teito would pick–

Who would he pick?

Teito loved his boyfriend, loved Lance. But Lance hardly ever visited because of school and work. And even then, they're time together was short. They never talked anymore either, their bodies did all the talking. And the conversations were crude at best.

And Frau was here. Frau who had once promised him the world in a fleeting beautiful smile. Frau who once held him when he cried. Frau who once teased him when he was feeling down. Frau who once listened to Teito's concerns with unwavering patience. Frau who once kept his secrets. Frau who once gave him secrets to keep. Frau who once played stupid childish games with him when no one else would.

Frau who once…who once…

Teito caught his head in his open palm, face pinching in pain as it throbbed from his temple and spread out like a virus. He didn't understand the pain, but that didn't stop him from searching for what exactly Frau once did that meant the world to Teito. It was there, on the tip of his tongue. It was here, in the air. But he had a better chance at catching sunlight in his hands than this wandering thought.

Frau also wasn't giving him a chance to do so either.

Teito's wrist was caught, and before he could prepare himself, he was thrown across the backseat. The hawkzile screeched impatiently, and gave no warning as it suddenly took off. It sped down the driveway, Frau barely having a chance to wave over his shoulder before he took the handle with one hand and guided the crazed mechanical bird onto the road – his other hand was occupied by fisting tightly into the teen's coat to keep him from flying off. Labrador followed behind them just in case.

It was only after a full day of driving, with the duo assault of cold wind and nausea, that Teito began remembering his harbored hate for Frau.

o.7.G.h.o.s.t

It was turning out to be an uneventful road trip. A day ago, they had left Labrador at the border of the Second and Seventh District. Due to the storm, military surveillance was slack and they passed beneath the border patrol without drawing attention to themselves, but that also meant they had pushed the hawkziles to their breaking points. It was slow and steady going, just to give time for the girl to catch her breath – and Frau hadn't a doubt in his mind that Labrador was doing the same.

The blond worried about what might be happening back in that town, what with how he had left things, but his more pressing concern was here with him. Teito had been oddly quiet throughout the entire thing – Frau thought that perhaps the teen was having another one of his episodes, where he zoned out and lost himself to his mind, but he wasn't certain.

He didn't have the strength to glance back and check. Instead Frau kept forward, eyes on the never ending road still littered with snow. If they kept going at the same pace, it would take another day to reach the Barsburg church. If the hawkzile was allowed to rest for a few minutes, they could get there before nightfall.

Frau was tempted, but with the teen being oddly compliant, he didn't know what to do. He wanted to take advantage of the opportunity, but he also wanted a damn minute to rest. The blasted weather was freezing his fingers and toes – he could only image what it was doing to Teito.

A few more minutes driving, no other land vehicles in sight, Frau caught sight of a deserted gas station just some feet ahead. There really was no one in sight, so the blond figured it was a safe enough stop.

Easing the hawkzile into the lot, Frau cut off the engine and suppressed a smile as the large bird sighed and sagged.

The good-natured feeling was short lived, however.

Not even a second later, Teito was jumping off the motorized bird and running to the treeline surrounding the structure.

"Goddamn, fucking _shit_," Frau cursed under his breath. In a fluid motion, he removed his helmet, openly winced as it irritated his injuries – the dark bruise on the side of his face, from his eye to his ear, looking rather odd and painful – jumped off the hawkzile and gave chase.

The snow made running difficult, and that's what Frau blamed when he lost sight of the teen. There was enough light to see by, the midday sun struggling to overpower the thick clouds, and the blond advanced by following the teen's footsteps. At every step, he cursed his decision to stop. He should have known better to believe that Teito's compliancy would last. The teen's mind was warped at the moment – the smallest thing could set him off.

"_Stupid, stupid, stupid_," the blond thought bitterly as he continued to follow the footsteps.

He figured out it was oddly quiet a little too late.

A branch, still healthy with pine-needles, thwacked him in the back of the head. Frau pitched forward, but caught himself against another tree before falling completely. He turned, anger barely controlled, only to see the branch coming for his face this time.

Unlike before, Frau managed to keep this one from landing a hit. The teen, struggling to take back his weapon, looked positively livid. Worse than anything Frau had ever seen, and it momentarily shocked him into a stupor. All he could do was watch, which was about the stupidest thing he could do at the moment.

Teito finally gave up on the stick, dropping it, and took to the air with a shadow of his once feline grace. His foot swung, heel locking onto the corner of Frau's mouth, and the blond was sent down. There was groaning, and white snow splattered with dots of red, but Teito had his mind set on one objective.

Dispose of Frau.

Again he threw himself into the air, the only way he could move with so much snow on the ground, and had a foot ready to crash down on Frau's face, but the blond recovered quickly. Teito's foot was caught, his other landing on Frau's chest, but that one was caught right after as well. Ankles were pulled from under him, and Teito fell, landing on Frau with his legs parted on either side of the blond's waist.

Teito fisted a hand, more than prepared to bury it in Frau's nose, when he was suddenly flipped over. He yelped in surprise and shivered right after when he was encased in a coffin of snow. The blond was above him, between his legs, chest on chest, hips on hips, and taking his hands in an iron grip to pin above the brunet's head.

"Twice," the man snarled. "_Twice _you've aimed for my face, you fucker!"

"Let me go!" Teito demanded, kicking as best he could with his legs. He managed to dig his heel into the blond's thigh, though that only caused Frau to grab his ankle and pull it up to pin it along the bishop's lower back.

Teito hissed as a jolt of pain and pleasure shivered up his spine, blood suddenly intent on rushing between his legs to pound loudly and obviously. And Frau was so damn close, what if he felt it…?

"Don't. _Start_," Frau snarled, catching the conflicted sensations swirling beneath expressive emerald eyes. It was so damn beautiful, so damn tempting, Frau lost the battle with his own body the second the damn teen opened his mouth to pant heavily.

It was an unconsciously conscious action, one that Frau would never be able to understand how he could do when he repeatedly told himself not to, but his will was crumbling, almost nonexistent, and he found himself apologizing before he grinded his hips down onto the soft body beneath him.

Teito gasped.

Frau moaned.

Sparks and enticing allure, anger making them hard, lust making them crazy. Frau's head fell forward and buried itself into fabric rather than the sweet, warm skin Frau knew the teen hid there beneath bulky clothing and his growing hair. The woolly material made his nose itch, and he quickly pulled away – up and off, his senses restored by a stupid scarf.

"What is it this time?" His voice croaked, heavy with arousal and pain. Frau growled at himself, hands fisting at his sides as he glared down at the heavy-eyed teen. "What is it this fucking time?"

"Lance –," Teito panted heavily, unable to catch a decent breath of air. "Y-you…_why_?"

"You're gonna havta be a _bit _more specific," the blond responded with a false cheery tone, going so far as to wink.

The teen didn't appreciate any of it. He slipped his elbows beneath him, legs trembling far too much for him to attempt standing up. But Teito was accustomed to Frau always looking down on him – what difference did it truly make?

"What did you do to him? Why did you do it! I don't understand– !"

"Course you don't," the blond cooed, voice dripping heavy with sarcasm and cynicism. "'cause living in _la-la land _is the perfect way to overlook the fact that he _raped you_," he shouted, resolve snapping like thin, brittle twigs.

"H-he didn't!" Teito argued, fighting to keep his anger for the blond in place. Not the need to get up and shut the man up with a kiss. Or strip off his clothes and finally get to look and _feel _that damn body so many women covet for and so many men silently resent him for having. "And what does it matter to you what he did to me?"

"Because I–" Frau caught himself from doing something stupid. Just barely, and fear drummed through his veins at the thought that he wouldn't have caught on as quickly as he did. His brain was going a mile per minute, his mouth was running a mile per second. He needed to calm down – control. Look for that control…

Slowly, he began to pull away. His face fell blank, his body unwound. Frau fortified his walls, hid behind them – he was safe now. They both were.

"You're my responsibility." His tone was even, calm. Everything was okay now.

Everything would be okay now.

"That's not –" Teito snapped his mouth shut and turned his head away to look out to the scenery. He couldn't take anything in – everything was blurred and he couldn't distinguish the sky from the ground. He closed his eyes to fight off the pain, but his emotions were in turmoil and weren't making it simple.

Teito was fearing his own thoughts, his traitorous tongue. Just what had he been about to admit? What? Was it true? Did he believe it?

And what would Frau have said if Teito had said it out loud?

_That's not what I want to hear_

Frau hadn't heard it, however. Nor the inner monologue Teito was having with himself. All Frau could see was a child fighting off the urge to cry, and that only made him feel worse about his indecent actions.

"Are you done? Can we go now?"

"I don't want to go anywhere with you!" The teen quickly snapped, throwing aside old feelings and new hopes and _praying _they never came back. "I fucking _hate _you and I always will! And the only way I will ever willingly occupy the same _air_ as you is if I'm high or dead. The latter is preferred," he finished with a snarl, eyes narrowing dangerously, challengingly.

Frau could only smirk, amused. "Join the club then."

After forcefully hauling the teen to his feet, Frau dragged his unwilling victim back the way they came. To pass the time, he passed his tongue over his teeth, pushing at them to asses if he would have to present any new injuries to the dentist back home.

When they entered the clearing, Frau could find nothing else wrong – only his lip had been split open – and breathed a sigh of relief. He just couldn't handle any more disfigurement; it was starting to get ridiculous.

There was a five minute restroom break, and Frau was preparing the hawkzile to leave when the air seemed to shift. Instantly he recognized it at something not lethally dangerous – no kor, warsphiles but…people?

Tainted souls – Frau could feel his quick lunch wanting to revisit him.

"Frau, what's wrong?"

Furious he may be with the proceedings, Tetio was well enough in the head to understand when something was wrong. And if something was wrong and it was troubling the blond bishop, then it was certainly something to concern oneself over.

"Just keep your mouth shut and don't cause a scene," Frau muttered bitterly, kicking off the kickstand just as those tiny dots he watched grow finally take human shape.

Slavers, by the looks of it. It made little sense that they would travel so close to the ground when they were free to fly the skies without needing the consent of the Barsburg military but perhaps they were looking for some fresh meat to sell.

For all of a second the blond thought of Labrador, a lone rider down a stretch of barely used road, but that thought vanished as quickly as it had come. Gentle the gardener may be, but he wasn't weak. His knowledge of plant life, and his ability to control it, was a deadly enough weapon. The thorns of his flowers were soaked with almost as much blood as was Frau's scythe.

There was never a need to be concerned about Labrador against such fragile mortals.

What worried Frau now was Teito.

Just as Frau had earlier assumed, they blocked his exit. Even if he had ridden out earlier, they would have chased him. A hawkzile chase put Teito in more danger than a confrontation. So Frau waited, waited for them to finish their toothless barks and their edging catcalls. Waited for the leader to boisterously approach him and demand something.

And Frau would play along, all the while calculating the best way to avoid a scene. He had little to no money, his accounts having been dried up due to his two weeklong vacation. Because of this, Frau knew they would demand either Teito or the hawkzile. He would give them neither. Worse for wear they were, Castor's lady and Frau's light, but he cherished both. One more than the other, obviously, but neither deserved to be traded to the likes of them.

Besides, Castor would _kill him_ if Frau ever gave up his hawkzile because the blond was too lazy for a little skirmish.

Surprised he was when the leader took his chin and turned it to face him instead.

"Or I could get a pretty coin for you," the leader purred. "_'Perfect for both work and play'_ I'll say. Ever pleasured a man, blondie?"

Frau had a retort on the tip of his tongue, one he had been looking forward to use but living within a church hardly gave him an appropriate opportunity, but this time his surprise came with a hint of tender affection.

Behind him, Teito had taken the man's wrist and wrenched it away with strength he shouldn't have, twisting it until the teen could feel bones sliding awkwardly.

"Don't _touch him_ with your filthy hands, creep," the teen lowly hissed, eyes narrowed dangerously.

Frau couldn't suppress the chuckle that followed. "Creep is the best word you could come up with?"

"I didn't want to curse in front of the damsel in distress," Teito smirked, flickering his eyes towards the blond, catching those icy blues with his own.

"And I'm supposed to be the damsel? That's the joke there, right?" It was real humor pulling Frau's smile, and he shook his head at the stupidity of it all. This was how they bonded? Over slavers trying to prostitute Frau in the literal sense and into manual labor?

Something was wrong with that. Definitely.

"Don't _fuck _with me!" the leader snarled, tugging his hand away only to injure himself in the process. "Get them, you morons!"

"Now look at what you've done." Frau _tsk_ed, silently motivating the hawkzile for a sudden burst of speed as he maneuvered it away from the incoming gang.

Teito nuzzled up behind Frau, legs sliding along longer legs, thin arms snaking around and palms falling flat on a wide chest. "Revenge," the teen breathed, head resting on a broad, strong shoulder.

A bitter sting drove deep into Frau's heart, and all he could do was take the pain and enjoy the superficial exchange between himself and a Teito who most likely wouldn't be there in two minutes. The warmth was so bittersweet, so lovingly cruel.

If only this moment could last.

If only…

Frau placed his helmet back on, taking both handlebars and calculated the escape.

This moment may not be able to last all of eternity, but hell be damned if Frau wouldn't make it happen again. His life depended on it.

Teito's as well.

* * *

**A/N: Tell me what you guys think? (^ ^); I don't get that many reviews (despite what the visitor's hit list says...) so I don't know if what I'm writing is actually enjoyed... Mel, Lavi-Tan, Waffle Lord, Holic and Tricks seem like kissups, so I can't take them seriously. _NO!_ I'm kidding. I love you guys! Even if I haven't talked to Tricks yet. TEE-HEE. (HOLIC, GET AN ACCOUNT SO I CAN BUG YOU D:)  
**

**Anyway. So this update is a week early (for those who follow my twitter, this isn't new news) but I just couldn't help myself. I'm stupid like that.**

**Well, someone out there must be sending positive vibes my way for my updates to come so regularly. I'll see you when I see you, my precious kitties :3  
**


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